Page 22 of Redeeming Violet

He didn’t say anything when he walked me into the bedroom, stopping to grab his USAF shirt. He pulled it over my head, placed my arms through the openings, and smoothed it down my torso before pulling the wet towel from under it. His shirt was too big and stopped mid-thigh. I was mostly covered but still felt extremely exposed. He reached into my bag and grabbed a pair of panties, knelt in front of me, and tapped one ankle. I picked up my foot and he repeated the process with the other foot, pulling my panties up and settling them on my hips. I should’ve been mortified Jaxon had dressed me, but I wasn’t. There was nothing sexual about the act. There was no hunger in his gaze; it was blank. Nothing. Just like the rest of my life - empty.

It wasn’t until Jaxon had pulled the covers back, helped me into bed, and climbed in behind that he spoke.

“The last thing I feel for you is pity, Violet.”

Chapter Twelve

Jaxon

I shouldn’t have been in the bed with Violet at all, but especially when she was half naked and vulnerable. When I heard her sobbing in the shower the last thread of anger I’d been harboring broke loose. I should’ve known better than to allow her to be alone after the last forty-eight hours. I knew the break down was coming; I saw it on the plane. As tough as she tried to be, pretending what had happened in the hotel room was no big deal, I knew better.

The look of devastation and defeat on her face when I pulled the shower curtain back was gut wrenching. I didn’t think she even realized she’d been crying; however, she hadn’t protested when I dried her off and dressed her. I still needed to tend to her arm, but I didn’t have it in me to let her go just yet. It was by some miracle I was able to keep my body’s reaction under control, seeing her wet naked form in the shower threatened my resolve. She was a beautiful woman with her clothes on. But standing before me, even with tears streaming down her cheeks, fully nude, was a sight to behold. The woman had curves in all the right places. I’d like to say I was a better man and hadn’t looked, but once her uncovered full breasts came into view I couldn’t help myself. They were large and looked to be pillowy soft, the perfect size to push together and bury my cock between. The thought made me a douche, but I was man enough not to act on my attraction. The last thing she needed from me, was for me to use her to satisfy my urges. Not that she wouldn’t be more than satisfied herself. Bottom line was it would be wrong to touch her.

“Tell me something about yourself,” she whispered.

I didn’t make a habit of telling women about my personal life, but I couldn’t deny her.

“There’s nothing special to tell. I grew up in Southern California, joined the Air Force and spent some time traveling around.”

“Somehow I doubt there’s nothing special. Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“I do. I have a younger brother. He’s still in California. He’s a cop.”

“A family of service. Was your dad in the military?”

“No.” I chuckled at the thought of my father getting his hands dirty. He was a good father and taught me and my brother the value of hard work, but his idea of work was sitting behind a desk. “He’s an investment banker.”

“Was he disappointed you didn’t follow into finance?”

“Not at all. He encouraged me and Cooper to work hard. He didn’t care if we were tradesmen or an executive. As long as we were the best we could be, it didn’t matter.”

“What did you do in the Air Force?” she yawned her question.

“I was Pararescue with the 71st Rescue Squadron.”

“A PJ. That’s under the Air Force Special Operation Command, right? Were you deployed?”

I was impressed she knew what a PJ was. Most people think of SEALs or Delta operators when they hear Special Forces, not knowing the Air Force had their own Special Forces team going back to World War II.

“It is. I spent more years in the sandbox than I did on American soil.”

Violet yawned again and shifted.

“You should get some sleep,” I told her and rolled so I could pull the covers over her.

“Will you stay with me?”

Would I stay? Yes. Should I? That was a big fat fucking no.

“Would you be more comfortable if I made a bedroll on the floor?” I asked.

“No. I want you close.”

I rolled off the bed and undressed, not bothering to leave the room. Violet was on her side safely facing away. I tagged the sweats I’d pulled out of my pack earlier and put them on; the extra barrier was necessary. We were playing a dangerous game sleeping in the same bed. She might not have realized it, but a searing current was sizzling just below the surface threatening my control. Need was starting to short circuit my brain and all the reasons why I couldn’t have her had disappeared.

I slid back into bed next to her and tried to keep a respectable distance between us. Surprisingly it didn’t take long for exhaustion to pull me under. I felt Violet move closer, her tiny body pushed tight against mine, and she tangled her legs with mine. If I wasn’t careful we’d do something we’d both end up regretting, especially if she didn’t stop wiggling her ass into my crotch. She stopped moving and her breathing evened out. After a few deep breaths to calm the ache she stirred, I closed my eyes.

I just had to make it through the night. How many times had I fallen asleep with that same thought? Only this wasn’t combat, and I wasn’t in desert. I was in a bed with a soft beautiful woman at my side. It was no less precarious. As a matter of fact, Violet Meyers was far riskier than any mission I’d been on.