Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“I hate seeing you like this, baby. Will you talk to me about it?”
She swallowed heavily. “I, uh . . .” Shoot, her throat was dry and scratchy. How much screaming had she done?
Hopefully, she hadn’t woken up anyone else.
“Wait a second.” After shuffling her so she was sitting up straighter, he reached over and poured her a glass of water. Then he lay her back against his arm and held the glass to her lips.
Her cheeks went hot. He was treating her like she was helpless. Fragile.
God, it was nice.
“Tell me, baby,” he urged after drawing the glass of water away from her mouth.
“It felt so real. Like he was here. I woke up to his hand over my mouth. I couldn’t . . . I couldn’t breathe.”
“Shit. That’s why you woke up scratching at your throat and not breathing.”
“Yes.”
“Fuck. I need to look at your neck.” He set her on the bed and turned on the light by the bed. It wasn’t that bright, but she still winced.
“Sorry, baby. I just need to see. I’m going to find something to clean these scratches.”
“They’re fine,” she said dismissively. It was just a couple of scratches. She’d had far worse.
“No, they’re not fine. They need cleaning in case they get infected. There might be something in the bathroom I can use.” He disappeared into the bathroom, and she started shivering again.
Strange, his touch seemed to hold her fear at bay. And now that he wasn’t touching her, all of that fear came rushing back.
Just hold on.
“Baby? Fuck. Are you all right?” Tanner rushed over to her, cupping her face in his hands.
“I’m j-just . . . I c-can’t stop t-trembling.” She stared up at him.
“Shh. Shh. It’s all right. You’re okay. I’m sorry I left you.” He bundled her against his chest and rocked her back and forth.
“I’m b-being silly,” she said.
“Hush. No, you’re not.”
“It was just a d-dream.”
It wasn’t real. He wasn’t here.
The trouble was that the nightmare didn’t really stop once she was awake. Because Stefan was still out there. Still searching for them.
Was that nightmare her brain’s way of warning her to stay away from Tanner? To protect him from Stefan?
“It was a nightmare about someone who has been traumatizing you for a long time.”
“I could n-never see a way free. Not u-until the opportunity c-came to run. Sorry for being s-silly.”
“You don’t have to apologize. And you are not being silly. Understand?”
“Yes,” she whispered, snuggling into him.
“I need to get some antiseptic from the nurse since I couldn’t find any. Then I’ll bandage your neck.”
“I don’t need any.”
“Yeah, you do. I’m not risking your health.” He hit the buzzer and sat back down in the chair with her on his lap.
“You can put me on the bed.” She didn’t want him to do that, but thought she better offer.
“I don’t want you to start shaking again.”
Fair enough.
“What else happened in the nightmare?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Just a lot of threats, calling me names. The usual.”
He started swearing right as Grace walked into the room.
“Everything all right?” she asked as she came and switched off the buzzer.
“We need some antiseptic for her neck,” Tanner said.
“I’ll get some now,” she promised after checking Lilac’s neck.
Damn. This was so embarrassing.
Lilac buried her face in Tanner’s neck. “You smell so good.” And from memory, he tasted even better.
His chest moved as he laughed. “Do I? Even after sleeping in these clothes?”
“Uh-huh.”
The nurse returned and Tanner took the antiseptic from her with thanks, turning down her offer to help.
Then he set Lilac on the bed and cleaned up her cuts, putting a light bandage on them.
“There, all better.”
Surprisingly, she did feel a lot better.
“Let’s get you back into bed.”
As he tucked her in, she let out a small whimper. Damn it. Where did that noise come from?
“Hey, you okay?”
“I just . . . I feel . . . scared.” It was hard to admit it. But it was the truth. She was so scared.
He leaned over her, his face close to hers. “I won’t let him touch you, Lilac.”
Yeah, that’s not why she was so terrified. She was concerned about Tanner, about what Stefan might do to him if he ever discovered his connection to her.
“Is it crazy to want you so much when I barely know you?” she asked instead of telling him what was actually going on in her head.
“You know me. I’m the guy you met in that bar six months ago.” He grinned at her.
She rolled her eyes.
“And I don’t think it’s crazy to know when you’ve found someone special. Someone you want to spend your life with.”
Closing her eyes, she nodded wearily.
God, she wanted that.
“Would you . . . is it wrong to ask for . . . never mind.”
“Look at me.”
She opened her eyes, moving her gaze to his.