The two had a long history. They’d grown up together. They seemed close in real life, though their personalities were like night and day. They probably bickered often, their opinions clashing. Still, the friendship lasted this long. They were probably used to each other and knew that any dispute would blow over with time.
He imagined Lucky needed a friend so badly growing up with her sadistic father always tormenting her that anyone who was halfway decent would seem like a saint compared to him.
Maybe Desiree’s brash personality didn’t really matter to Lucky, because her friend had always been there for her in the best way she knew how.
Lucky mumbled and moaned in her sleep, then yelped, like she wanted to scream but couldn’t get it out, her arms flailing again.
Her whole body twitched and moved.
Hawk couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to wake her, but didn’t want to startle her out of whatever nightmare plagued her.
“Desiree!”
Why was she calling out her best friend’s name in distress?
Desiree was at the bar with her that night, but it was her ex’s face she kept remembering.
He wished he knew what really happened that night.
He’d keep fishing for answers, but right now he needed to bring Lucky out of her nightmare and into the dream of what he wanted their life to be together.
The sheet slowly slid down her body. Then the shirt Hawk had put her in last night inched up. With every new patch of skin uncovered, Lucky felt Hawk’s warm lips laying a trail up her belly to her nipple. He took it into his mouth and sucked it to a peak, making her back arch off the bed and offer her breasts up for him to feast.
“Mm.” She sank her fingers into his soft light brown hair and held him to her. “Morning.” Light was barely making its way through the crack in the drapes. It had to be early.
Hawk licked a circle around her other nipple, then sucked it into his mouth. “You taste so good.” He raised his head and met her gaze, sliding his hand into hers, silently reminding her that moving that arm would hurt her shoulder. Always taking care of her. “I love that smile. Waking up beside you this morning…nothing better.” He nuzzled his nose against the underside of her breast. “I left you hanging last night after our shower.”
“I fell asleep before you even got in the bed. I’m sorry.”
He swept his hands up her sides and over her breasts. “I wanted to taste you so bad, but I knew you needed your sleep. Time to recover. So let me do all the work this morning before I have to head into the office for a few hours.”
She didn’t want him to go. She loved spending time with him. It felt like every moment she had with him drew them a little bit closer together. “I’ll miss you,” she confessed. When had she ever missed anyone?
Well, except her little brother.
But this was different. This was Hawk, and he was here, trying so hard to make her feel better, safe, and connected to him.
His gaze turned possessive. “I’ll miss you, too. And if I could blow off the meeting, I would.”
She brushed her fingers through his hair because she could. He wanted her touch. And that was so amazing. “I don’t want you to put work off for me. You’ve done so much already, staying with me at the hospital all that time. I know how important working with your brothers is to you. You told me how they keep you grounded and sane in your letters. Gunn Brothers and Search and Rescue gives you a purpose. Everyone needs that.”
“What if I want to make you part of my purpose? You feel more important than anything.” He kissed her chest, right over her heart.
“I can be that for you while you take care of business. I’ll be here, waiting for you.”
He growled and nipped her bottom lip. “You have no idea how good that sounds to me.”
“Probably as good as it feels to know you’re coming back to me later.” Tears welled in her eyes. “As good as it felt every time I opened my eyes in the hospital and you were still there. I can’t believe you didn’t leave me there.” A tear spilled over her lashes and down her cheek.
Hawk pressed a kiss to her skin, soaking it up. “I couldn’t leave you. Not when you needed me.”
“I didn’t know how much I needed you. So much that I’m afraid it’s too much and you’ll pull away and I won’t ever feel like this again. The way only you make me feel.”
“What do you feel?”
“I think this is what it feels like to be happy. It’s been so long, I hardly remember ever feeling this way. Waking up to you wanting me…I can’t even explain it.” Her heart felt too full.
“You don’t need to. I know exactly how you feel, because I feel it, too. Now let me make you feel even better.” He trailed kisses back to her nipple, continuing where he left off, making her skin burn and her body writhe.
