Page 80 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
I watch him grind his teeth with restraint before he shakes his head. “No, not tonight. There will be plenty of time for that later.”
“But I want to. I want you to feel good and…”
He shakes his head again. “I meant it, Red. We’re going to take it slow. Tonight was a good night; let’s leave it at that. Believe me, getting to touch you was enough for me and I promise I will collect eventually.”
Not having any words for what this man does to me, I lean in and give him a soft kiss on the mouth.
Heading upstairs, he carries me into my room then lays me down in my bed. I grab his shirt in my hands as he begins to stand. “Please tell me you are going to sleep in here with me?” I hate that I sound vulnerable but I need to sleep in his arms tonight more than ever.
He stares down at me for a moment before he answers, “Yeah baby, I’m staying.” Standing, he reaches behind his shoulders and pulls his shirt off in one smooth motion.
Holy mother of all that is holy. I forgot how beautiful his body truly is—scars and all. My mouth literally goes dry at the sight of it.
“Red, you keep looking at me like that, baby, and I won’t be able to sleep here with you tonight.”
Oh geez, that’s embarrassing. Instead of showing my embarrassment, I quickly compose myself and smile up at him unashamed. “Sorry, can’t help myself. But I’ll be good. Promise.”
He grunts, not believing me, and crawls on the other side of the bed. He keeps his pants on and stays on top of the covers, but pulls me to him until my top half is draped across his chest. I breathe in his clean, masculine scent and snuggle into his warm, hard chest.
Before I can stop myself, my fingers begin trailing up the hard plains of his abs, “You know, Walker,” I start quietly, “I’ll bet you would be a lot more comfortable if you took all your clothes off and got under the covers with me.”
I feel him tense, and just as I reach the decorative piece of metal that is pierced into his nipple, he grabs my wrist and lets out a warning growl. “Faith, I fucking mean it. Behave!”
I chuckle at the strain in his voice then feel bad, not wanting to make it harder on him. “Okay, okay. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I promise no more.”
Turning, I press a soft kiss to his chest, before resting my cheek against his strong and steady heartbeat. The one rhythm that I committed to memory so long ago and one I have yearned to hear again. I desperately want to tell him I love him; that I always have, even from that first week in Iraq, because I know that more than ever now. But I decide to hold that back just a little longer and instead say, “Goodnight, Walker.”
I feel him place a kiss on top of my head. “Night, Red,” he whispers ever so softly.
Before too long, exhaustion settles over my satisfied body and I fall into a deep slumber, feeling the safest and most at peace I have felt since… well ever.
CHAPTER 22
Cade
The next morning I’m woken from one of the best sleeps of my life by a tiny gasp. My eyes shoot open and I immediately stare into Faith’s beautiful face that’s soft with sleep. When I realize the sound didn’t come from her I turn over to see the kid standing behind me. She wears her princess nighty from the night before and her black beanie, which makes me wonder if she slept with it on.
My chest pulls tight at the sight of her pale face and big blue eyes that are welled with tears. I quickly remember I’m not wearing my shirt and realize she’s seeing my scars for the first time. Shit! I clear my throat, trying to decide how is best to handle this situation, and Faith ends up waking up from the sound of it.
When she sees Ruthie standing there, looking like someone just killed her cat, she sits up quickly. “Ruthie, sweetie what’s wrong?”
Instead of answering Faith, she looks only at me, her lip beginning to quiver as big, fat tears start spilling down her cheeks. “Who gave you all doze owies?”
“Oh…” Faith sighs sadly.
Not being able to bear the sound of Ruthie’s first sob, I reach over and pick her up, bringing her on my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and buries her head in my chest. I don’t say anything because I’m having a hard time finding my voice, especially when I look over at Red and see her eyes turning glassy too.
Jesus, I’m not equipped to handle this shit. I’m not used to people caring about me. Well, other than Jaxson and Sawyer, but they’re different.
Faith reaches over and starts rubbing Ruthie’s back. I watch her struggle to find words of her own. “Ruthie, remember when I told you how I met Cade?” She turns her face to Faith and nods, her tears soaking my chest. “And remember when I told you he and his friends saved my life?” She nods again and I watch Red swallow thickly before she continues, “Well that is how he got those scars, because he saved my life.”
The kid sits up and removes her glasses so she can wipe her tear-soaked cheeks, her lip still quivering as she tries to stop crying. After putting her glasses back on, she wraps her arms around my neck again and squeezes the life out of me. “I’m sowwy someone huwt you, big guy.”
I hug her back and it takes me a minute to find my voice, “Don’t be sorry for me, kid, I’m not. I’m glad I have them, because if I didn’t Faith wouldn’t be here.”
A sudden, soft noise draws my attention over to Faith and I see she’s crying now too. Her tears are just as torturous to my heart as the kid’s are. Grabbing her arm, I pull her to me. She curls into my side and puts her arm over Ruthie.
