about.”
“ I won’t make it through the night if you don’t, ” she whispered.
I stopped kissing and pulled away, my eyes on hers. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes,” she admitted, more to herself than to me.
“And you won’t regret this?”
And then the fucking phone was ringing, and Logan was boarding for Moscow. I practically dragged her into the house, knowing what was coming. She looked like a frightened rabbit, cornered as I ordered her to lie down on the bed. “Stay there!” I urged.
I was going to check the freezer for ice, but it was too late.
She stayed conscious through the change this time, screaming… God she was screaming until I wanted to scream myself. Finally, she went limp, dropping back against the pillow.
I let her rest for a while. She was going to have to learn to control the pain on her own.
We spent the evening gathering supplies and groceries at Walmart, and we both fell into a flirtatious back and forth that made me feel hundreds of years younger. When she became jealous, thinking I was comparing her to Julie, I couldn’t help laughing. If only she knew what Julie was like.
Guilt nagged at me. I was tempted to tell her about Julie a thousand times, finally resolving that it would make her afraid of me.
And I couldn’t have that.
We picked up a pizza and ate in a comfortable silence back at the cottage. At least, I thought it was comfortable, until I saw her wringing her hands again.
Finally, she exhaled sharply. “What I said… by the ocean… I don’t think…,”
I finally realized why she was holding her breath again. She thought I was planning to take her to bed.
Tonight.
“Nothing is going to happen tonight, Roam. Take a shower and go to bed. I’ll come in and check on you before…,”
“No! No, I want you to sleep with me. Just beside me, I mean. Don’t leave me in the bedroom alone. I’m afraid of the nightmares.”
Sleep next to her, in the humid cottage. Knowing she’d be sleeping in nothing but her panties. Not happening.
Her green eyes pleaded, and finally, I relented. The nightmares are awful, and I finally have a chance to be there for her when they happen. Control yourself.
“I’ll come in, then, in a little while.” I ran my fingers through my hair, resting them at the back of my neck. “Just to sleep.”
“Okay, thank you.” She started to turn, but I caught her gently.
She looked at my hand on her elbow for a long time before lifting her eyes to mine.
I took a step toward her. “I just want you to know, they don’t compare to you,” I spoke under my breath, as though the ghost of Annie could hear me. There are no ghosts.
She is Annie.
She leaned closer to hear me. “No one compares to you.” I repeated.
She smiled. She fucking beamed . “Thank you,” she burst.
I wished I’d told her that a long time ago.
I smirked at her obvious contentment, rolling my eyes. “Now get to bed. This isn’t a vacation. I’m teaching you how to fight tomorrow- more than just self defense. You need sleep.”
Her eyes lowered once, and her expression went soft. “Yes, Mr. Perry.”
I shook my head and turned away, hating how much I loved to hear her call me that.
The shower ran for a short while, and I could smell the Dove soap we’d picked up at the store. I had a lot to do, planning for the trip to Russia, and it was well past midnight before I finally entered the bedroom.
The smothering heat was lessened just slightly by the open window, but still she’d thrown the blanket aside.
The moonlight drew a silver outline over the curve of her hip, her arm…
And her long, long legs.
I was right; she wore only panties and a strappy camisole. Her hair spread over the pillow, her hands clasped together, even in sleep.
My God, she was breathtaking.
I slipped out of my shorts and left my boxers on, but pulled my tee shirt over my head. I dropped my clothes into a heap on the hardwood floor.
Sliding into the bed next to her, I did my
“ I won’t make it through the night if you don’t, ” she whispered.
I stopped kissing and pulled away, my eyes on hers. “Do you mean that?”
“Yes,” she admitted, more to herself than to me.
“And you won’t regret this?”
And then the fucking phone was ringing, and Logan was boarding for Moscow. I practically dragged her into the house, knowing what was coming. She looked like a frightened rabbit, cornered as I ordered her to lie down on the bed. “Stay there!” I urged.
I was going to check the freezer for ice, but it was too late.
She stayed conscious through the change this time, screaming… God she was screaming until I wanted to scream myself. Finally, she went limp, dropping back against the pillow.
I let her rest for a while. She was going to have to learn to control the pain on her own.
We spent the evening gathering supplies and groceries at Walmart, and we both fell into a flirtatious back and forth that made me feel hundreds of years younger. When she became jealous, thinking I was comparing her to Julie, I couldn’t help laughing. If only she knew what Julie was like.
Guilt nagged at me. I was tempted to tell her about Julie a thousand times, finally resolving that it would make her afraid of me.
And I couldn’t have that.
We picked up a pizza and ate in a comfortable silence back at the cottage. At least, I thought it was comfortable, until I saw her wringing her hands again.
Finally, she exhaled sharply. “What I said… by the ocean… I don’t think…,”
I finally realized why she was holding her breath again. She thought I was planning to take her to bed.
Tonight.
“Nothing is going to happen tonight, Roam. Take a shower and go to bed. I’ll come in and check on you before…,”
“No! No, I want you to sleep with me. Just beside me, I mean. Don’t leave me in the bedroom alone. I’m afraid of the nightmares.”
Sleep next to her, in the humid cottage. Knowing she’d be sleeping in nothing but her panties. Not happening.
Her green eyes pleaded, and finally, I relented. The nightmares are awful, and I finally have a chance to be there for her when they happen. Control yourself.
“I’ll come in, then, in a little while.” I ran my fingers through my hair, resting them at the back of my neck. “Just to sleep.”
“Okay, thank you.” She started to turn, but I caught her gently.
She looked at my hand on her elbow for a long time before lifting her eyes to mine.
I took a step toward her. “I just want you to know, they don’t compare to you,” I spoke under my breath, as though the ghost of Annie could hear me. There are no ghosts.
She is Annie.
She leaned closer to hear me. “No one compares to you.” I repeated.
She smiled. She fucking beamed . “Thank you,” she burst.
I wished I’d told her that a long time ago.
I smirked at her obvious contentment, rolling my eyes. “Now get to bed. This isn’t a vacation. I’m teaching you how to fight tomorrow- more than just self defense. You need sleep.”
Her eyes lowered once, and her expression went soft. “Yes, Mr. Perry.”
I shook my head and turned away, hating how much I loved to hear her call me that.
The shower ran for a short while, and I could smell the Dove soap we’d picked up at the store. I had a lot to do, planning for the trip to Russia, and it was well past midnight before I finally entered the bedroom.
The smothering heat was lessened just slightly by the open window, but still she’d thrown the blanket aside.
The moonlight drew a silver outline over the curve of her hip, her arm…
And her long, long legs.
I was right; she wore only panties and a strappy camisole. Her hair spread over the pillow, her hands clasped together, even in sleep.
My God, she was breathtaking.
I slipped out of my shorts and left my boxers on, but pulled my tee shirt over my head. I dropped my clothes into a heap on the hardwood floor.
Sliding into the bed next to her, I did my
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