Page 46 of The Saint

“Just like that. Take another deep breath… Hold it… There you go. Let it out, nice and easy.”

She half laughed and rested her cheek on his shoulder, looking up at him. “You’re pretty good at knowing what I need to do.”

Camden smoothed a hand over her hair. “Just had to catch your breath. That’s all.”

“You did that on the first night,” she whispered. “Made me catch my breath. You probably kept me from freaking out and trying to run out of the house.”

“That probably wouldn’t have gone well.”

She shook her head. “Not at all. You helped… and that cat.”

He grinned. “What cat?”

Amelia slipped off his shoulder, lay down, and tugged him to lie beside her. The queen-size mattress had more than enough room for them to have their own space, but she scooted her pillow closer to his as though she didn’t feel safe in a CIA safe house and he was what would keep her from the nightmares. He lay on his side and watched as she stared at the ceiling.

She kept her voice low and explained, “The one from the house I broke into.” After a moment, she glanced at him and searched his expression for a reprimand. She wouldn’t find it, but that didn’t keep her from looking. “Did you know I broke into that house?”

“If you were trying to save your family, then I don’t care either way.”

She watched him like she didn’t believe him, but her uncertainty slowly, curiously changed. Finally, her gaze returned to the ceiling. “The cat scared the crap out of me.” She laughed quietly. “It restarted my heart. You know ‘fight or freeze’? I had frozen when that man was coming for me. The cat snapped meout of it.” She faced him again. “Do you believe in guardian angels or higher powers?”

“In the form of a cat?”

She elbowed him with a laugh and looked away. Maybe she couldn’t share her story and look at him simultaneously. “I ran up the stairs. By then, I managed to speak when you answered. Everything was such a blur.” She closed her eyes, perhaps replaying all that happened. “I crawled under a bed and wedged against the wall. It was such a small space. The bed frame came to right here.” She held her hand a couple of inches above her nose. “The footsteps came closer. My heart crawled into my throat. The space felt like it was shrinking.” She paused again and stared at nothing. “You made me breathe, and the cat grounded me. Your voice and its soft fur.” She turned on her side and faced him again. “I wouldn’t be alive if not for that.” She laughed self-deprecatingly. “That part is never in my nightmare.”

He gave her a playful elbow. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so scary if we were there.”

She laughed, which he took as a win. Then Amelia sobered and whispered, “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She shivered and pulled the comforter up. The house was much colder than when they’d gone to sleep. She eyed his bare chest. He’d been sleeping in sweatpants and hadn’t bothered to find a shirt before coming upstairs. Body heat was the best way to keep warm. He bit his tongue to keep that to himself. Her covers were working overtime to keep him in check.

“Are you cold?” she asked.

Come on, Amelia. Don’t tempt me. He propped up on his side. “I’ll let you get back to sleep.”

That was what was needed, what kept him from being a massive asshole. She was pouring her soul out to him abouttrauma that would haunt her for years, and he was thinking about body heat. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Sleep,” she said, mulling the word over as though it were a pill she needed to take. “I’ve always been the one in charge. The provider. The boss. I can’t remember the last time someone told me to do something for my benefit.” She glanced at him in a way that didn’t help the growing need tightening in his chest. “If I’ve learned anything from our conversations, it’s that I like it when you’re looking out for me and tell me what to do.”

In bed…His heart thudded. That wasn’t anywhere near how she meant him to take it, yet that was where his mind went. She held his gaze, almost challenging him—almostlike she’d thought of that too. Camden should make a joke. A better idea would be to say good night and drag himself to the couch.

She looked away and half laughed. “Life just feels easier when you do the mental heavy lifting and lighten the burdens.” She laughed again, but it was deprecating. “Go to sleep. God. What’s wrong with me? That’s not a heavy mental burden. I’m not making sense.” Amelia shook her head. “I have no idea what I’m talking about.”

He did. He had an unshakeable need to take care of her. He didn’t believe in fate, but he couldn’t ignore chemistry. That was too damn bad. Their connection wasn’t anything they should act on.

“Get some sleep.” He couldn’t help himself and leaned over and pressed a dangerous kiss to her forehead.

Her sharp intake of breath rocketed through him. His lips remained on her soft skin. The quietest whisper of need rumbled in her throat. Amelia wrapped a hand around his bicep and held him still.

The message was loud and clear.Stay. Desire flared in her eyes just as it had before, but the vulnerability was there too. His stomach dropped.

He forced his lips away and touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. “I can’t.”

They lingered in the dark. Neither crossed the line, but much was said without uttering a word. Finally, he wrenched himself away and managed to roughly say, “Night” and kicked himself all the way back to his blanket on the couch.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

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