Page 148 of Rock Giant

“I told you I’d always be here for you, no matter what.”He touched her arm but winced at the contact.“Cripes, come here, you’re half frozen.”

He took off his jumper, exposing his chiselled torso to the bracing night air, and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“Paul, I’m sorry.”

“Hush, there.You’ve nothing to be sorry for.”His arms did encompass her then, drawing her towards the solid wall of his chest and the intense heat he was radiating.“Are you hurt?Did that fuckwit hurt you?I’ll skin him alive.”

The way he was eyeballing her, she figured he’d been planning to already.Because while he was a big cuddly teddy bear, he also happened to be composed of barbed wire and gristle.

“I told him it was over.”

“Good girl.”He patted her back.

“He threw Flugwhump off the bus.”

“Fucker.”

“Left without us.”

“Yeah,” he acknowledged, cradling her closer, so that she was breathing in the earthy comfort of his skin.He was so solid, and warm.So, present.She could be content here, if she never moved again.

“What do you say to leaving here with me?”

She wanted that more than anything.So much so, that the prospect of it made her cry.

“Hey, none of that.”He nudged up her chin and swept away the tears with his thumb.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, you got me anyway.”He followed up the thumb sweep with gentle kisses to her eyelids.“And more importantly, I’ve got you.I’ve got you, Jodi.”He eased her to her feet, supporting her rise.When she wobbled, he bent as if about to lift her.

“We need Flugwhump,” she said, staying his hands.

“Aye.Aye, we do.So where is your little black demon?”

Said tiny panther emerged from the gloom at the first call of his name.He rubbed straight up against Rock Giant’s leg, purring like he’d just won the kitty cat lottery.

“He likes you.”

“Of course he likes me.I rescued him from a plastic bag, and he knows I’m gonna score him some premium catnip later.Don’t cha, mate.”Paul scooped up the cat, who happily flopped in his embrace like he was a baby.When he then pulled her in closer to his side, her feline monster walloped her across the chin.

“Hey, we’ll have none of that, mate.”

He planted a kiss where the paw had hit her.“Better?”

“A little.”

He lovingly offered another.

She didn’t deserve his concern or his gentleness, but she craved both and was never ever saying no to them again.She’d been a fool to ever do so.

Flugwhump yowled as he was sandwiched between them and succeeded in squirming his way free of Paul’s arms.It left the path open for their bodies to meld together.His, so solid, and so much bigger than hers.Comforting, surrounding her like a protective cage, while her hands reached up and clasped the sides of his shorn head, drawing him to her mouth.To where she wanted to feel the softness of his lips against her own.To where she felt the hot hunger of his desire that made her shake and warmed her from the inside.

It wasn’t only his kisses that brought her back to life, it was the realisation that she was free to accept them.The past was done; a new dawn sat on the horizon.“I’m not his anymore,” she gasped, energised by that fact.

The admission scored her a ferocious grin.“No, Castle, you’re something much better.You’re mine.”

Their mouths melded once more, hands wandering this time, hers determinedly pulling him closer.