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She paused after pulling some clothes out of her drawer and cast a nervous glance over her shoulder.
“I’ve seen it all before, you know,” I told her with a slight smirk that she returned with one of her own.
“I’m not shy, if that’s what you’re thinking. I usually sleep nude,” she tossed back at me with a suppressed grin.
“Well, you aren’t sleeping butt-ass-fucking naked with Blue coming by to make rounds.” My eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. Slowly, she stripped out of her clothes. She gave me a slight smirk as the last item dropped to the floor.
The bruise forming on her arm set my rage to burning again.
It was dueling with my desire as I shamelessly stared at her naked body while she dressed in the fuzzy pants and T-shirt she’d pulled out.
“Like something you see?” she teased as she turned back the covers. Her snarkiness set fire to my veins, and I couldn’t help but reach for her.
The last thing I needed or wanted was a woman. Or a kid. I wasn’t that guy. She looked over her shoulder at me, and I clutched her hair as I turned her and rested my forehead to hers.
“I’m not what you think,” I said with a handful of her hair tangled around my fingers.
“Then show me who you really are,” she whispered against my lips.
“I’m all your nightmares in one” was my reply. Steeling my resolve, I set her away from me. “Get in bed.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and pursed her lips. For a moment, I thought she was going to argue with me. I couldn’t say it made me angry.
After the way she was damn near cowering when I arrived, I was happy to see some of her spunk had returned. She finally climbed into the bed and settled into her pillow, one hand tucked under her head.
“I’ll be out in the living room if you need me,” I said as I turned off her light.
Before I could make it out of the room, she called out to me.
“Decker?”
“Yeah?”
“Would it be too much to ask for you to stay here with me?” Her previously snarky tone had faded and was now uncertain. The light shining in the hallway reflected in her eyes, and the nervousness I saw there pissed me off. Someone had done that to her, and it made me want to track them down and choke the shit out of them.
Inwardly, I groaned. Being in a bed with her would be all kinds of wrong and way too much temptation.
“Please?”
Caving to her pleading tone, I sighed, pulled out my phone, and shot off a text to Snow and Raptor, letting them know I’d be staying for at least the night. Once I was done, I shoved my phone in my back pocket.
“Let me go check the doors.” I made the rounds through the small house and returned to the bedroom. Then I dropped my jeans to the floor.
When I pulled my thermal shirt over my head, I heard her sharp inhale.
“Turn over,” I told her, trying my damnedest to ignore the way my cock thought he was joining the party. There was no way I was touching her like that after she’d been attacked in her own driveway. She made a sound of protest but did as I said and rolled over.
Leaving my underwear on, I climbed in bed behind her and wrapped my arm around her middle. As she snuggled into me, it really hit me that she was pregnant. Cautiously, I slipped my hand under the edge of her sleeping pants, found her still flat belly, and splayed it protectively over her soft skin.
She placed her hand over mine, but neither of us said a word. Surprisingly, we both fell asleep quickly.
“Sergeant Pruitt! Oh God, help me. Please.” Specialist Conway was crying out, but I couldn’t get to him. Every time I tried to make a break from my covered position, I was forced back by the incoming rounds.
The stench of the battlefield was so embedded in my nostrils, I doubted it would ever go away. Trucks were turned over and burning, my squad was scattered, and I had no idea who was alive and who wasn’t. It was a smoky, chaotic hell.
I started to cough, choking on the thick smoke. The more I coughed, the further away my soldiers’ screams traveled. “Hold on!” I screamed.
Eyes flying open, I frantically searched for my weapon. My hands came up empty, and I began to panic. For a moment I was stuck in the nightmare of burning flesh and the screams of my brothers.
