Page 149 of Rock Giant

“I don’t deserve this,” she whispered when they surfaced for air.

“You deserve more than I can ever give you.You deserve love, and you have mine, for now and for always, exactly as I promised.”His voice was a sexy rasp weighed with sincerity.“You’re my everything, Jodi.”

“Castle,” she automatically corrected.He always called her that, and he was the only one who did.Also, it reminded her of Doctor Who and Matt Smith insisting, ‘Come along, Pond,’ before they embarked on some wild adventure.Paul held that sort of pull to her.One that was so much more than sexual attraction, though that was an evident factor, it wasn’t the limit of it.It was also the heart and beneficence of the man.The care with which he moved through the world, and the sense of wonder and adventure he brought to everything.

“You’re my everything, Castle.”Paul kissed her again, this time sliding his tongue between her lips and effortlessly making himself the king of her heart.

“Hey, can we hurry this up?I’m not one to complain, but I was pulled from my bed, and now I’m freezing my nads off here.”

They turned their heads simultaneously.It hadn’t dawned on her that Paul wasn’t alone, though it ought to have been obvious.It wasn’t as if he’dpoofedhimself here like a brother from one of her favourite books.

Black Halo’s lead guitarist stood leaning against the side of a bright yellow sports car, an easy grin on his handsome mug.“You two lovebirds want a lift somewhere with a bed?”

Paul exhaled some of the tension that she hadn’t realised he was carrying until she felt the release in his shoulders.“Damn straight, we do.”He looked back at her, all grin.“That plan cool with you, Castle?”

When she gave him a nod, he tugged her towards the waiting vehicle and got her settled in the passenger seat.Then he scooped up Flugwhump and deposited him on her knee, before squeezing his bulk into the tiny bucket seat in the rear.For a wonder, he actually fit.It certainly hadn’t been built with a man of his stature in mind.It meant his knees were threatening to collide with his nose, but he didn’t gripe.

Jodi kept her head turned, still afraid that if she let him slip out of her field of vision, he’d be gone forever.

“It’s okay.”He settled a reassuring hand on her shoulder.Jodi put her hand on top of his, and Paul laced their fingers.“I’m not going anywhere without you.”

On which subject, “Where to?”Ash asked.

“Rendezvous with the guys and your missus in Amål.”

Jodi didn’t recall anyplace named Amål from the itinerary, but honestly, he could have told her they were hightailing it to Jupiter and she’d have gone along with it.

Ash gave a nod and woke the engine.He slid the car into gear.“It’s a good job I love you, man, because that’s a five-hour drive and I’ve not had a brew yet.”

CHAPTER 45

Jodi Castle

Jodi wasn’t sure where she was geographically.Usually, that would have sent her into a full-scale panic.She felt none of that as the shower spray hit her upturned face and chased off the last of the chill that had penetrated her bones.

She was safe.

Her very own knight protector was standing guard outside ready to see off demons, vampires, spiders, stalkers, ex-boyfriends, and any -one or -thing else that had the discourtesy to wish to disturb her.

After Paul had tucked her into Ash’s Danger Car, and they’d hit the road with the car heater on full, she’d quickly drifted off.Her exhaustion had kept her comatose for most of the multi-hour journey.She’d woken on the far side of the Norwegian-Swedish border on the approach to the rendezvous point with the rest of Black Halo.That reunion had lasted mere minutes before Paul had bundled them both into a waiting hire car and brought them to this here lakeside cabin.Theoretically, that ought to have helped her pinpoint her position, but Sweden being a country of almost a hundred thousand lakes, she might as well have just stabbed a random area of the map and drawn a hundred-mile radius around it.

Truth was, it didn’t matter.All that mattered was that she was here with him.A man so good, he hadn’t taken her to task over all the shit she’d said and done to him.Nah, he’d shrugged it off, grinned, and said, “You’ve always been a walking catastrophe.I knew when I signed up it was likely to be a bumpy ride.Now, eat.And marshmallows, cream, or sprinkles with your hot chocolate, or all three?Also, I’ve fed the cat.”

After plying her with the best cuppa on the planet and thick-cut slices of crusty bread spread with butter and honey, until the hollow in her stomach was well and truly filled, he’d turned her towards the shower, where she’d now been for some time judging by the enquiring knock on the door.

“You okay in there, Castle?”

“Yes,” she said, only to repeat herself louder realising he probably couldn’t hear her over the thud of the rainfall shower.Although, actually, “No.”

“No?Fuck, what’s up?”Genuine concern scored his vocals.

Curious how the timbre of his voice could have such a direct effect on her body.Pleasure tickled beneath her skin.“You’re out there and not in here with me.”

Maybe that was forward, but she’d been holding her feelings for him in check for so long that she had no intention of doing so now that it was no longer necessary.She just wanted him close.Heck, she just wanted him.

“Aw, that so, is it?”

“It is.”