Page 178 of Saving Her

The way she says my name. The sorrow. The plea. When she wraps her arms around her middle in a blatant show of vulnerability I’m entirely done for.

Doesn’t she know this is what I’ve battled all along? That this is where I’ve wanted her from the first day we met?

In my room.

In my bed.

“It’s not a good idea.” I strangle the door handle. “Your room is a better option for now.”

“I know. But this is what I want. I need it, Luc.”

Fuck. I scrub a hand down my face. “You need what, exactly?”

“To be near you. To sleep knowing I’m protected. I’m sick of the nightmares.”

She hits me right where it hurts. One sucker punch after another.

“Please,” she repeats. “Just for one night to see what it’s like.”

Once will never be enough. There’ll be no going back after those flood gates open. Surely she knows that.

I huff out a growl. “Pick the side you want.”

“Thank you.” She walks around the bed, moving away from the door. “Is this side okay?”

None of this is okay, and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it. I can’t bring myself to deny her, though. Or myself. This intimacy is a train wreck waiting to happen.

“Yeah, fine. But you might want to move the gun out from beneath the pillow and stick it under mine.”

She doesn’t show an ounce of shock as she does as instructed, grabbing the weapon tentatively to slide it across the mattress.

I wait until she’s settled, her cheek on my pillow, her long hair spread out behind her before I turn off the light.

I’m not going to get a wink of sleep. Not with her scent on my sheets, her inhales caressing my ears. The hours until sunrise are going to be hell.

I climb into bed in darkness, sticking to the far side of the king-size mattress. There are still two feet of space between us and I’m acutely aware of each millimeter as she sucks in a deep breath and sighs.

“Night, shorty.”

“Night.”

I stare into inky blackness, completely wired.

I spend my time forcing myself to figure out how we’re going to nail the guy who shot at her when we’ve got no description to go on. I think about the leverage tonight will give me over helping her step out of her comfort zone tomorrow. But I also struggle not to think about this all ending soon.

One way or another, this closeness won’t last long.

For her, this is a phase of recovery. She wants me for my protection. Everything else is curiosity. Once Decker finds out, he’ll put a stop to it.

Maybe that’s what I need, too—for him to find out so at least someone has the balls to end this mess.

“Luc?”

“Yeah?” I mutter.

“Can you move closer? Just so I know you’re near.”

Jesus. Fuck. “I swear you were sent from the devil to test me.” I scoot toward her, each inch made with weighty reluctance.

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