Page 24 of Kyle

My eyes were getting heavy and I debated making sure Declan was awake and ready to take over watch so I could take a nap when I heard a blood-curdling scream.

Before I could think better of it, I was in Anaya’s room. But at the last second, I stopped myself from touching her. My palms were mere millimeters from her arms, fighting the urge to shake her awake. So close I could feel her nightmare rolling off her in waves.

“Anaya. Wake up.” She started to shout again, and I had no choice. I grabbed her arms and shook. “Anaya,” I snapped. “Wake. Up.”

Her eyes came open wide and in shock and I immediately yanked my hands back.

“What’s wrong?” she slurred.

“You had a nightmare.”

She blinked the sleep from her eyes and her brows furrowed. Any other situation, I’d think the look was cute as hell. But right then knowing that something so horrific had happened in her dreams that she’d thrashed and shouted in her sleep made me murderous.

“Shit. I did?”

“You good in here?” Declan asked from the doorway.

“Yeah.”

“I got watch,” he said, and I heard the door click closed.

“You always sleep with the light on?” I inquired.

“No. But I fell asleep reading.” I glanced at the bed and next to her was the paperback.

Don’t go there, I reminded myself, eyeing the book.

I glanced back at her face and she was covered in sweat. “You’re burning up under all those covers.”

I started to pull the comforter back, but she clung to it.

“I’m fine.”

“Sweetheart, you have sweat rolling down your face. You’re all bundled up and you’re wearing sweats.”

“No, I’m not,” she muttered.

My gaze shifted to the floor and both the sweats and tee were there.

Good Christ, she was naked, or damn close to it, under the covers. Fuck, shit, fuck. Now was not the time to think about her sweaty and half-naked but damn if I could stop the visions from flooding.

Dick. I was a total dick.

“Let’s at least take off the blanket. You can leave the sheet on.”

Relief washed over me when I noticed her bra straps. At least she was wearing something.

And didn’t that thought make me an even bigger dick? She’d just woken up from a nightmare and all I was thinking about was what she had on.

Get your damn head out of the gutter and on straight.

Anaya pushed down the heavy comforter but kept the sheet pulled up to her throat.

“You wanna talk about your dream?”

“No.”

“All right. I’ll let you get back to sleep.”