With the most serious face she could muster, Olivia said, “Fine. We’ll stop, on one condition.”
His eyes narrowed in on hers. “Depends. What’s the condition?”
She ran her fingernails down his bare arm. “You promise to give me a repeat performance after we’re home.”
Jake leaned his forehead against hers. “Sweetheart, I plan on giving you as many encores as you can handle. Now, get to sleep before I decide not to wait until we’re back home.”
“Promises, promises.”
Unable to keep the smile from crossing her face, Olivia settled back onto her pillow. Within minutes, she was in the deepest, most relaxing sleep she’d had in ages. And she stayed that way...until the nightmares came.
Chapter 18
The early stirringsof dawn’s light seeped in through the hotel’s cheap curtains. Sitting at the little wooden table by the door, Jake did his best to ignore it.
If he acknowledged the new day, he’d have to think about what was to come. His mind would run through all the questions Olivia would face once they were back home, and in Ryker’s domain. It tore Jake apart when he thought about what she’d be forced to endure.
In addition to questions they’d all have to answer, there was the fact that the entire world still thought she was dead. The paperwork for that alone would be a nightmare, not to mention the toll it would take on Olivia, emotionally.
Jake wasn’t sure if she’d want to go back to the same hospital where she’d worked before she left. After everything that had happened, she may choose to take some time off from nursing altogether.
He didn’t know what she would end up deciding. The one thing he was certain of was that he planned to be there to support her through it all.
His gut twisted, knowing once all this shit was behind them, he’d have to confess his biggest secret of all. Not wanting to go there, Jake focused on Olivia’s sleeping form, thankful she’d finally found some peace.
She’d fallen asleep quickly that first time. He hadn’t. Instead, he’d held her close, breathing in her intoxicating scent while he thanked God over and over for bringing her back to him.
Even now, it was still so hard to believe. Despite all of the danger, not only was Olivia alive and well, she was sleeping peacefully in a bed not more than ten feet away from him. The same bed they’d made love in for the first time just a few, short hours before.
His touch had started out innocently enough. Then, she’d looked up at him with a need that mirrored his own, and it had been game over.
Sure, he’d tried to put on the breaks—at least that’s what he told himself—but Jake knew he could have tried harder.
He could have gone back to his own bed and left her alone. Probably what he should have done. Regardless, he couldn’t bring himself to regret being with her.
Jake’s tongue darted out and ran along his lips. He could still taste her, his body stirring as it remembered being inside her. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Being with her was like...coming home.
