Her hand shot out and she gripped my wrist. “Cole…”
I heard the plea in her voice. I sank onto the edge of the bed.
In a flash, she moved, crawling onto my lap.
Damn. I wrapped my arms around her. She held on, shivering. I’d hugged her more in the last day than I’d hugged anyone in my entire life.
I ran a hand down her back, loving how perfectly she fit against me. “You’re safe, sunshine. I promise. Not letting anyone touch you ever again.”
She pressed her face to my neck, her breath warm on my skin.
I closed my eyes and breathed her in. Damn, I liked holding her. Some part of me warned I should put her down and stay far away. The other part…It wanted to fight anyone who tried to take her away from me.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m not usually this much of a baby.”
“You’ve been through a lot.” I ran a hand down her hair. The strands caught on my calluses, reminding me that a rough bastard like me wasn’t for the likes of her. I set her down. “You should get some more sleep.”
She grabbed my bicep. “No.”
“Lili…”
“Please, don’t go. Don’t…leave me alone.”
I struggled for three seconds, but even in the dim light, I saw the look on her face. The pleading.
I couldn’t leave her. Not when she needed me.
Lifting her, I moved back into the middle of the bed, then shifted beside her and leaned back on the pillows. They already smelled like her vanilla scent.
She lay down, settling half on top of me and snuggling in.
She fell asleep quickly, her hand clutching my chest, her breathing evening out.
I lay there in the moonlight, holding her, and didn’t sleep at all.
CHAPTER 11
LILI
Iwoke up, pulling the spicy scent of Cole into my lungs. I smiled, then my eyes flew open.
I remembered my nightmare, Cole holding me as I’d fallen asleep once more.
The bed was empty, except for me.
Had I imagined it?
There was a deep indent in the pillow beside me, and I smiled. No. He’d stayed. He’d held me.
I think he liked me a little bit.
Sitting up, I pushed my hair back. I could smell bacon, and my stomach rumbled.
Quickly, I headed for the bathroom to do my business and brush my teeth. I studied my face in the mirror. The swelling was almost gone, and I didn’t see any bruising. Thank God. I pulled on some pink sleep shorts under the T-shirt I’d stolen. I brushed my hair but left it loose.
When I reached the living room, I found Cole in the kitchen, cooking. Well, scowling at the frypan.
He also wasn’t wearing a shirt.
