“I’m trying to find you,” she called out. She squinted and searched the distant light, but nothing appeared.
The walls pressed in closer, stealing the breath from her lungs. The smooth stone turned jagged as it pushed into her tender flesh. She tried to take a breath but the walls pushed in farther. She reached for the light, for the voice, but complete blackness surrounded her yet again.
“Mickey…Mickey! Wake up.”
An urgent voice penetrated through the walls. Light pressure pressed against her arms and her muscles tightened. Her bodytwisted and turned, her feet peddled through the air but didn’t touch anything. Her eyes flew open and Graham’s furrowed brow and concerned eyes stared back at her.
She gasped for air and pushed a sheet of hair from her face. The damp strands stuck to her hand, and she shook them off as she sat up. Tears clouded her vision, and she glanced around the dark room. Her lungs burned, but she couldn’t seem to fill them fast enough. Graham tucked her hair behind her ears and gathered her close against his hard chest.
“I was in a tunnel and the walls closed in.” Her words came out quick, her voice thick with tears. “I heard a voice, but I couldn’t get to it. I couldn’t save her. The walls were crushing me, killing me.”
“You were having a nightmare. It’s okay. Everything’s fine.” His fingers grazed her spine, bunching the material of her shirt.
She sunk into him, letting the slow motion of his fingers calm her. Sweat clung to her hairline, but she let it linger, focusing only on the slow movement of the tips of his fingers up and down her spine. Up and down, up and down.
Her back stiffened and she sat up straight on the bed. She wasn’t wearing a bra. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down. What the hell was she wearing? A large white T-shirt hung loosely on her, but her exposed nipples somehow managed to press tightly against the soft material. Heat scorched her cheeks.
“You’re shaking. Are you cold?”
“No, I’m not cold. I just can’t get my nightmare out of my head. The little girl’s voice will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Goosebumps lined her arms and a chill tore through her body.
“I’ve had my fair share of nightmares. They can be brutal.”
She dropped her gaze and her eyes landed on Graham’s naked chest. She cleared her throat and forced her eyes up to his face. “How do you get over them?”
His arm came around and pressed against her back, pushing her close to the hard muscles of his chest. “Some of them never go away. The others drift away on their own.”
She rested her head against his breastbone. “I’ll never be able to sleep.” Her heart beat a steady rhythm, matching Graham’s under her cheek.
Graham pulled away and lifted her chin with his thumb. “You’re stronger than you think.”
His touch branded her skin and she swallowed hard. Her tongue swiped across her lips, her eyes never leaving his. “Do you think so?”
A soft chuckle rumbled from his throat and he leaned closer, his warm breath caressing her skin. “I think a lot of things about you, Red.”
She smiled up at him. “You can’t get more creative than Red?”
A lazy grin spread across his face. “You can’t get more creative than G.I. Joe?”
She shrugged and the T-shirt rose a little on her thighs. Graham’s hand traveled from her chin to cup the back of her neck. “Do you want me to show you what I think of you, Red?”
Oh, boy.
She gulped and nodded. She wanted him to take her mind far away from the nightmare that still lingered in her brain. His warm body pressed against hers and chased the chill from her skin. His free hand wrapped around the small of her back and bunched the shirt up even higher. She closed her eyes and the horror from moments before vanished like a fine mist floating out to sea.
It wasn’t real.Graham was real…this moment was real. And dammit, she needed something to make her feel good for justone minute of this rotten day. She took a deep breath as he lowered his lips to hers. Electricity zipped through her veins.
Oh, freaking boy.
16
All the blood rushed from his head as his lips pressed against Mickey’s. Her lips were soft, her mouth eager for his. He threaded his fingers through her hair and his tongue parted her lips. He licked into her mouth and she moaned, going lax against him.
“Lie down,” he said in a hoarse whisper.
She obeyed. Her long legs entwined with his as he lay down beside her, and he ran a hand up one smooth calve and tightened his grip on her firm thigh. She didn’t protest, only arched her back and pulled him back down to her mouth. He rested on his elbows as he leaned over her, his tongue once again invading her mouth. His fingers itched to ride higher on her thigh and past the T-shirt she wore, but he didn’t want to move too fast.
Mickey’s hand snaked around the back of his neck, her other wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him on top of her. Her firm breasts, unhindered by a bra, pressed against his chest. His leg parted hers and nestled close to her center. His hand came up from her thigh and the tips of his fingers rode up the curve of her hip and skimmed over the soft skin on her side. Little by little, inch by inch, he trailed them over her ribs and under thetender flesh of her breast. He lifted his thumb and let the pad rub gently over her nipple. Desire surged through him as a soft moan of pleasure slipped from her mouth.
