Page 47

She didn’t give a shit about his scars, his money, or elevated social status.
And she thinks I’m hot enough to melt glaciers in Antarctica.
Sam had told him about his conversation with Kara, how she had declared Simon the hottest Hudson. He and his brother had never been competitive. They had always been too busy working together to survive and then to thrive. Although they liked to verbally spar, Simon loved his brother. Fiercely. Yeah, Sam was fucked-up when it came to women, but he could hardly chastise his brother for that when he was just as bad. Probably worse. However, he had gotten perverse satisfaction from knowing that Kara had verbally slapped Sam down during her conversation with him at the fast-food place before the attack.
I love you.
Gritting his teeth, he rolled to his side, punching his pillow and trying to get comfortable. He had to forget, get a grip on his emotions, stop wishing for more than her presence. He had the comfort of knowing she was safe. Wasn’t that enough? At least he wasn’t going insane from not knowing where she was, if she was okay.
A piercing, terrified female howl made Simon shoot straight up in bed, his muscles clenched, his heart racing.
Kara!
Panic held him in its grip for a few seconds as the screams grew louder, more intense.
His feet hit the floor, protective instinct making adrenaline pump through his body as he raced down the dark hallway to her room. Flipping on the light without even breaking his stride, he halted abruptly at the side of her bed.
Her arms were wrapped protectively around herself, tears flowing like a river down her sweet face. Hair tangled, head down, she was whimpering and gasping for breath.
“Sweetheart, what happened?” He sat next to her on the bed. Her sheets were snarled and twisted, as though she had been fighting World War III on her mattress.
“Dream,” she whispered, as though still trying to convince herself. “Just a dream.”
She was shivering violently. He scooped her up and placed her in his lap, pulling her unresisting body into his, trying to warm her in his embrace. Heart racing, he enfolded her, pulling her head into his neck.
“What were you dreaming about?” He stroked her silky hair, letting it slide over his fingertips, as he took a deep breath, trying to calm his hammering heart.
“The attack. It was so real,” she murmured, shuddering against him.
“It’s over. You’re safe. You’ll always be safe.”Right here. With me.
Sliding her off his lap, he went to stand, only to have her arms tighten around his neck, holding on for dear life.
“No! Please! Don’t go yet.” Her vulnerable cry stabbed him straight in the gut.
She needs me.
And he was going to be there for her, insecurities be damned. “It’s okay. I’m not leaving you alone.”I’m never leaving you alone.
He didn’t bother trying to pry her fingers apart. Shifting his body, he lifted her into his arms and came to his feet, trying not to notice that she was scantily clad in a silk, pink, lacy garment that barely covered her ass. He suppressed a groan as he adjusted her weight against him, the lace abrading his chest as the silk caressed his skin. He strode out of the room, making his way down the hallway and into his bedroom, with the most precious thing in the world to him held safely in his arms.
Simon lowered her into his massive bed, coming down with her because she still hadn’t loosened her death grip around his neck. Her panic abated slowly and Kara relaxed her arms, allowing him to pull the covers and a quilt on top them before he slid in behind her, spooning her body against his, and wrapping his warm, muscular arms around her body protectively. Kara sighed, sinking into his warmth, as she relaxed her head back to rest against his shoulder, relishing the security of his huge, masculine body.
“Okay?” he questioned softly, his breath ruffling her hair.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I woke you. I’ll go back to my own bed in a minute.” She didn’t want to go back. She wanted to stay right where she was, warm and safe in his arms. But she respected the fact that he liked his space when he slept.
“You’re not going anywhere,” he rumbled against her hair.
“But you won’t sleep,” she protested, feeling suddenly selfish for wishing she could stay.
“I won’t get a fucking minute of sleep unless you’re here. I haven’t slept worth a shit for two weeks.” His arms tightened around her waist.
Her body plastered against his, she could feel a hard protrusion against her ass. “You’re naked.”
“Yeah. I sleep in the raw, sweetheart. Get used to it,” he murmured, his voice husky. “You want to tell me about the nightmare?”
Actually, what she wanted was to forget. But she turned around in the circle of his arms, needing desperately to wrap herself around his warm masculine body. She wasn’t a tiny, delicate female, but as she buried her face against his bulky, solid chest, she felt like one. “It was just a dream about what happened. Only in the dream, they got me into the car. They were going to rape me before they shot me in the head. I fought, but they were ripping at my clothes. They were so much stronger. All I could think about was that I wanted to die before they could violate me, but the one who got away was on top of me, the other holding the gun to my head.” She shook her head, trying not to get emotional. It was only a dream. It hadn’t really happened. “But it was so real. I could smell their body odor, see those evil eyes. I woke up just as they...” Her voice trailed off in a shaken whisper.