“My boots,” I whispered.
He kneeled before me, pulling off my yellow Bogs then sliding down my jeans, steadying me with one hand on my waist while his other finished peeling them off my legs. Rising up onto his knees, his lips pressed to my navel as his hands slid behind me, unclasping my bra. “So beautiful…” he whispered over my flesh.
I closed my eyes, feeling nothing but the single tear that slid down my cheek.
“Baby…” the pad of his thumb caught it, tracing its path back to my eye. “What’s wrong?”
Too. Damn. High.
“I’m scared.”
He shook his head, hugging me to his body as he stood, taking me with him. He eased me back on the bed, covering my mouth with his. Our tongues slid together and more tears clawed their way out as he moaned into me. When he pushed off the bed to remove his pants, I turned my head and quickly wiped my eyes.
“Lake, look at me.”
On a hard swallow I gave him my eyes.
He slid down my panties as he crawled up my body, never taking his eyes from mine. “Don’t be scared. You’re my world. I’ll protect you with my life. You know that, right?” His chin dipped.
My eyes closed as his tongue circled my nipple. Why was it such a beautiful pain? It should have just beenbeautiful.
He buried himself inside of me, his lips tasting the skin along my neck.
I felt… nothing. My eyes remained fixed to the white ceiling.
I felt… numb. My hands limp against the back of his head as he moved inside of me.
I felt …dead. My heart slowed … slowed … slowed …
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
DREAMS OF THE WORST KIND
“NOOOO!”
I shot up in bed. My lungs gasped for air like a baby taking its first breath, but it felt more like my last as sweat beaded along my brow and rolled down my whole body, soaking my nightshirt.
“Lake!” Cage pulled me into his arms. “Shh… I’ve got you.”
I sobbed.
“It’s OK… shh… it was just a dream, baby.”
It wasn’t. Dreams didn’t sink their claws into your soul and rip it to shreds. I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed him. “Don’t go. Please don’t go.”
“It’s three in the morning. I’m not going anywhere.”
Keeping a death grip around his neck, I shook my head. “I’m scared.”
“Hey.” He pried my arms off his neck and turned on the lamp.
We both squinted against the initial burning of our pupils.
“Look at me.” He cupped my face. “What’s going on with you? This is your third nightmare in the past week.”
“You’re on the field… h-hurt.”
“I’m here. I’m fine. It’s just a nightmare. Okay?”
