Her fingers loosened around mine and I let her go even though it physically hurt to do it.
Her voice was brittle as she spoke, “You should have told me. I'm not so empty-headed that I wouldn't have taken care of myself. I'm not some spoiled child...”
Dr. Bellamy tipped Leighton's chin towards him. “You know your grandfather was just trying to keep you safe. You're tougher than you look, but that doesn't mean the people who love you will stop protecting you.”
“And making decisions for me?” she asked.
“"That's what families do,” he said gently. “My older brother still insists on driving when we go out to lunch, as if I'm some twitchy teenager with a driver's permit and no license. Even if it's my own car.”
Leighton's smile slipped as she nodded and drifted off again. I pulled my gaze away from her and looked at the doctor. “Speaking of cars, let me bring mine around and get her home.”
“I'll make the assault report to the police,” Dr. Bellamy said. “I'll make sure they know she's recovering tonight, but they'll expect to hear from her first thing in the morning.”
I didn't say anything to that. The cops would have to go through Devlin to get to Leighton, and I fully intended to leave it to him. If I had my way, I wouldn't be leaving her side at any time in the near future.
She didn't wake until I pulled to a stop in front of the massive gates blocking the driveway. She looked over at me, pleading in her bright blue eyes.
“Not his office.”
I nodded even though she'd closed her eyes again. Devlin would expect us to report directly to his office, especially since he hadn't seen her yet. I knew his interrogation, though born from care and worry, would be more exhaustive than police questioning, so there was no way I would subject Leighton to that yet. I knew it might mean my job, but I still drove past the entrance to the main house, pulling around to the side drive that led to the guest house I currently called home.
“Thank you,” Leighton murmured as she looked out the window.
I'd have to talk to Devlin at some point, but I would wait until I got her settled. Still, I took a moment after stopping the car to pull out my phone and send a quick message to Devlin, letting him know that his granddaughter was safe and okay. If he wanted details on her exact injuries, he could call Doc Bellamy. He wouldn't like it, I knew, but Leighton was my primary concern, not him. He could fire me if he wanted to, but it wouldn't stop me from protecting her.
With the message sent, I helped her inside. I didn't even hesitate to take her straight to my bedroom, but sex was the last thing on my mind at the moment.
“Shower or bath?” I asked.
“Shower, please.”
I wasn't sure that was the best choice since I had no idea how she was even managing to stand. But, she did manage to keep herself upright when I finally let her go, so that was something.
“I'll get things set up out there and then head downstairs so you can rest.”
“Please stay.” Leighton's voice stopped me before I left the bedroom. “I just – I just don't want to be alone.”
Her eyes were wide, her skin pale.
I never stood a chance.
“I'll be right out there.”
She nodded and turned on the water. I watched her for a moment before leaving her in the bathroom. Back in the bedroom, I stripped the bed and put on fresh white sheets and pillowcases. I laid out a lightweight henley shirt for her to wear, and then quickly darted across the hall to the bathroom to clean myself up and change into clean clothes. I didn't need to give her a reminder of what happened. She was still in the shower, so I took a seat in the overstuffed armchair by the window and let myself doze while I waited, knowing I could trust my instincts to wake me if she called out.
I wasn't sure how much time passed, only that I heard the door open and I pulled myself out of my light sleep.
She emerged from the bathroom with a puff of steam. Her curls were wet as they hung around her face and shoulders. Angry bruises marred her creamy skin, but I still felt myself stir at the sight of her. Then she dropped the towel and let me have a long look at the tight curves and gorgeous lines of her body.
Fuck it all. I wanted her.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, she slipped the henley over her head, but not before locking her eyes on mine. I could see the stubborn set to her jaw, and it eased some of the tension in my body. Unfortunately, a completely different sort of tension had taken its place.
“It's not as bad as it looks,” she said. She gave me a teasing smile. “You can have a closer look, if you want.”
She was going to be the death of me.
“You need rest and quiet, doctor's orders, remember.” I stood, needing to move as much as anything. I took a step toward the light switch. “And we need to re-wrap your ribs.”
She shook her head. “The wrap was too tight and I'm too wired to sleep.” She eyed my body's obvious reaction to her. “And it looks like you're having the same problem.”
I knew some of it was adrenaline from what happened, but more of it was just her. Still, I wasn't about to take advantage of her. I allowed myself to give her a small smile.
“I'll be right here while you sleep. You're safe.”
For a moment, I thought she'd be angry, but instead, she simply nodded and climbed into bed. As she pulled the covers tight around her, I watched her face, but there was nothing but exhaustion there. Within a minute, she started shivering and shaking, the effects of the adrenaline leaving her body.
Even though I knew why, it was impossible to watch her shiver and not help. I slipped into bed and wrapped my arms around her.
“I dreamt about you,” she said as she snuggled back against me, her ass pressing against my cock. “It made me not so afraid.”
I smoothed her curls away from her face. “Tell me about it.”
She was quiet for a moment. When she started talking, her voice was almost shy. “We were alone in a Kansas field at night. I mean, I've never been to Kansas, but I knew that's where we were.” The chattering of her teeth eased as she warmed. “You caught me and we kissed. One of those kisses you can taste days later.”
I closed my eyes, trying to fight my body's response. What came next didn't help.
“Then we were naked, and you laid me down on the ground. I didn't care that we were outside. I just wanted you to touch me so badly I ached, and when you slipped a finger inside me, I came almost right away."
She wriggled against me and I had to bite back a curse. When she took my hand and pulled it over her breast, I tried to resist, to think of why this was a bad idea. Then she was curving my hand over the soft flesh and I could feel her nipple harden against my palm.
“Please, Haze, I need you to make me feel safe.”
When Leighton rolled onto her back to look up at me, I knew I was lost. I had no willpower when she looked at me like that. I needed her, wanted her. More than that, I couldn't deny her, not when she needed me.
I kissed her then, long and deep, but careful of her split lip. My hand slipped from her breast, down her belly and then up under the henley. She moaned as I slid a finger inside, and I found her slick and hot. I stroked her slowly, pressing soft kisses along the side of her neck as I coaxed the most delicious sounds from her. My thumb stroked over her clit as I slipped a second finger inside.
“Haze,” she gasped my name, her body tightening as she came.
I kept my fingers moving, easing her back down. As hard as I was, I fully intended to stop now, to let her sleep.
But then her hand wrapped around me and I sucked in a breath.
“Inside me.”
She stroked me through my sweatpants and my hips involuntarily pushed against her hand.
“Please, Haze.” There was that pleading tone again.
I took her wrist in my hand, moving it off me. Her expression tightened and I knew she thought I planned to refuse her. And I probably should have.
Instead, I moved over her, yanking my shirt over my head, keeping my weight off her battered body. A smile broke across Leighton's face, sending a new burst of warmth through me. Her hands were on my waist as I settled between her legs. I pushed the shirt up even as she worked my sweats down below my hips.
I could feel her desperation and it matched my own. I'd been willing to give up my own release, but now that I knew she wanted it too, the need had grown inside me until it was nearly painful.
When I slipped inside her, we both moaned, our bodies automatically arching toward each other, needing to be closer, needing to erase everything that just happened. We stayed there for a moment, before I pulled back, then rocked forward. I kept my strokes slow and easy, the soft movements stoking the fire inside us surprisingly fast.
“Come again for me, sweetheart.” I brushed curls from her forehead. “I'm almost there.”
“It's okay.”
She reached up and ran her fingers through the hair at the back of my neck. Her hips rose to meet my thrusts as she pulled my head down until our mouths touched. The kiss was almost frantic as we lost the rhythm between us, moving now in that rough, primal motion that came just before climax.
Her teeth clamped down on my bottom lip, sending a jolt of pain through me, that last little bit of sensation I needed to fall over the edge. Even as my own pleasure coursed through me, I pushed one hand between us, finding her clit and giving it the extra friction her body craved.
I rolled us as her body shuddered against mine, pulling her on top of me, careful of her ribs. Her head fell against my shoulder as I pulled the blanket over us. I knew that when morning came, we'd have a lot we'd need to deal with, but for right now, everything was the way it should be.
I clung to that thought as I let myself fall asleep.
Chapter 6
Leighton
The
dream devolved into darkness, and panic accelerated my heart. I tried to think of Haze, of the field and making love with him there, but the darkness kept coming. I whimpered, trying to escape, but strong arms locked around my waist.
“Shh, Leighton, it's okay.” Haze's voice cut through the panic. “I've got you.”
My heart was racing as my brain started to process the reality of his voice, his body. Still, my voice was ragged. “It was too dark. I freaked.”
Haze jumped out of bed, and for a moment, the cold absence of his body was worse than my new fear of the dark. I could barely make out the outline of his naked body as he strode over to the antique vanity and pulled the delicate chain on a small Tiffany lamp. The soft light shone through the multi-colored glass, banishing the cold shadows of my memories.
“I should have thought of that before.” He climbed back into bed and gathered me back into his arms. “I'm sorry.”
He kissed the back of my neck, and settled back into the bed. After a few minutes, his breathing slowed, deepened, and I knew he was asleep. I doubted I'd be able to sleep again, but I soon found myself opening my eyes to see the dim light from the window was just overtaking the shine of the Tiffany lamp.
I laid there, my eyes open and brain starting to work, but I declined to move a muscle. It was too heavenly being engulfed by Haze's warmth. His arm was a welcome weight over my waist, his forearm running along my sternum to where his hand cupped my shoulder. For the first time in a long time, I was warm, safe and perfectly content.
For about five minutes.
Because that was how long it took me to remember that I wasn't the only person going through something. I'd never asked Haze about his family emergency. The thought jarred me.
All I knew was that his pregnant sister had gone into the hospital. I didn't know if she was okay. If the baby was okay. I didn't even know his sister's name. And now I realized Haze had cut his trip home short to come back and save me – the selfish woman who didn’t even ask if his family was okay.
My chest hurt, and it had nothing to do with my injuries. Even after all that happened, I was still too selfish to show the least bit of interest in what mattered to Haze. All my pleasant daydreams about changing, being a better person, were ridiculous. I was never going to change. I was incapable of it.
I replayed the moment Haze found me. Instead of surprise at seeing him rushing in to save me, I'd thought a slightly nicer version of 'about time.' Any normal person would have realized what he had sacrificed to be there. Instead, I'd thought of nothing except getting home and making sure I felt safe. I'd even made Haze stay the night with me when he must have wanted to get back to his family.
Hell, I realized, I'd even taken his shirt.
I needed to get up. Carefully, I managed to slip out of bed without waking Haze and made my way into the bathroom. I rummaged in the closet and found one of the luxurious bathrobes my grandfather kept around for guests. I pulled it on, wincing at the shot of pain the movement caused in my ribs, and set Haze's shirt on top of the dresser. I stood there for a minute, watching him as he slept.
He'd rolled onto his stomach, the sheets bunching low enough around his hips to reveal most of his tanned skin. I ran my eyes over the tattoo on his back.
De oppresso liber.
The motto of Special Forces. He had other tattoos as well. Ones that I wanted to explore with my fingers, my mouth.