The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [225]
She could barely keep her eyes open after two more climaxes and a lot of new firsts, but when he settled into the bed with her, she found the foresight to ask, “Are you staying all night?”
“Yes.” He pulled her to his side and pressed her head to his shoulder.
His assumption that he was welcome amused her, but then, she wanted him to stay. “Shouldn’t you tell someone where you are so they won’t worry?”
“I’m twenty-seven years old, sweetheart. I don’t have to account for myself to my brothers.”
“What about Honey? Will she worry?”
He went still, then cursed softly. “Don’t move.” He padded naked from the bed into the kitchen where her only phone hung on the wall. After a few seconds she heard him say, “I won’t be home tonight.”
There was a pause. “Yeah, well, I thought Honey might—” He laughed. “That’s what I figured. See ya tomorrow.”
He came back to bed and settled himself. “You were right. Sawyer said she would have worried.” He kissed her forehead and within seconds he was breathing deeply.
Elizabeth stroked his chest, wondering how often he spent the night with women, if this meant anything to him at all, if she had the right to hope he’d stay with her whenever possible.
It was a long time before she, too, dozed off. But thinking of Gabe and how strong and independent and capable he was only served to slant her dreams with miserable comparisons of all the things he was, and all the things she wasn’t.
And sometime in the middle of the night, the nightmares returned.
10
GABE WAS generally a sound sleeper, but then, contrary to popular belief, he seldom had a very sexy, very warm woman cuddled up to his side when he slept. Because he lived with his brothers, and because his nephew, Casey, was there, he hadn’t made a habit of flaunting his social life. Having Lizzy at his side was a unique and pleasant experience.
And while he’d had no problem sleeping, he was never at any moment unaware of her curled against him.
When her skin grew warmer and her breathing deeper, he stirred. She mumbled something in her sleep and he turned his head to look at her, making a soft, soothing sound. Her hand suddenly fisted against his chest, and her head twisted from side to side.
Frowning, Gabe came up on one elbow. “Lizzy?” She didn’t answer him. He touched her cheek and felt it wet with tears. His heart pounded. “Hey, come on, sweetheart. Talk to me.”
In the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, he could barely make out her features. He saw her mouth move, crying soundlessly, then heard a small whimper, and another, each gaining in volume.
“Lizzy?” Gabe held her closer and stroked her hair. “You’re dreaming, sweetheart. Wake up.” He made his voice deliberately commanding, unable to bear her unconscious distress.
Suddenly her body went rigid as if she’d just suffered a crushing physical pain. She screamed, harsh, tearing sounds that echoed around the silent bedroom. Her arms flailed wildly and she hit him in the chest, fighting against him, against herself. Gabe pinned her arms down and rolled her beneath him.
“Wake up, Lizzy!”
Sobbing softly, she opened her eyes and stared at him. For one instant she looked lost and confused, her eyes shadowed, then she crumbled. Gabe turned to his side and held her face to his throat. “It’s all right. It’s all right, sweetheart.”
She clutched him, and his heart broke at her racking cries. Gabe felt his eyes get misty and crushed her even closer, wanting to absorb her pain, to somehow be a part of her so he could carry some of her emotional burden.
Long minutes passed before she finally quieted, only suffering the occasional hiccup or sniff. Gabe kissed her temple, then eased her away from him. He kept the lights off and said, “Don’t move, baby. I’m going to go get you a cool cloth.”
He was in and out of her