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She stepped back and held out a hand to him. “Just for a few minutes.”
He seemed to hesitate, but at least he lowered his gun. “What exactly do you want me to do here?”
Being bold meant taking risks. She didn’t do that in her personal life. She’d step right out on the line when it came to doing battle with New Foundations. She fought behind the scenes, but she did fight.
Romance, dating, all that took a backseat. Her experience was limited and she hadn’t even been attracted to a man on any physical level in more than a year except for the usual “he’s pretty cute” thoughts when she saw some guys around at times.
Still, she jumped in this time knowing he could turn her down and make every second of whatever time they had left together awkward. But from the heat banked in his eyes, she guessed he wouldn’t. “Lie down with me until I fall asleep.”
His features softened. “Are you scared? Because nothing is going to happen in this house with Shane and me here.”
She knew that. When he’d promised her earlier that she wouldn’t be arrested right there and then and dragged away from him, she believed that, too. He wanted her safe. She got that.
Whether she amounted to nothing more than a potential witness to him, she didn’t know. But he meant more to her. He’d become a symbol of how things could be. Decent and strong. Most of the men she’d known in her life failed at both of those.
She didn’t lower her hand. Not yet. “Please.”
His gaze jumped back to the mattress before landing on her face again. “For a few minutes only, because I need to keep watch.”
As excuses went, that was a strong one. She ignored it anyway. “Thanks.”
He unloaded his weapon, then double-checked it before putting it on the table next to her bed. She was going to tell him about the drawer and the small gun safe in there until she remembered him searching through everything in the room with her once they found her gun missing.
Another fact that she could not think about right now. If she added up all the problems of the tragedies of the past few days, she might have to curl up in a ball in the corner. If her mind turned to Roger and what possibly happened to him, she froze.
She didn’t have many friends, choosing instead to keep people at a distance and out of harm’s way. She cared about Roger. He might not be able to articulate his feelings for her, but she knew he depended on her, and for him that meant something. And she might have failed him.
Holt turned back to her and took her hand. “Lindsey?”
She shook her head, pushing out all the negatives and concentrating on the one positive thing that had happened to her—him. “Sorry.”
“Are you nervous?” When she shook her head, he frowned. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
The conversation had sure gone sideways in the past few seconds. When her thoughts started spinning, he’d shifted into worry mode. She wanted him to back out of it. “I wouldn’t want you with me if I were. Truth is, you make me feel safe...and other things.”
He nodded but instead of leading her to the bed, he pulled her in close. “We’re going to do this first. Get it out of the way so it’s not hanging out there between us.”
Before she could ask what he was talking about, he lowered his head and his mouth covered hers. The kiss seared through her from the start. Hot and full of need, it pulled her under. Heat enveloped them as his hands found her lower back and hers went to his shoulders. Fingers speared through his soft hair as their lips met again and again.
Something welled inside her. It felt like power and excitement. An intoxicating blend. She couldn’t get close enough as her mouth traveled over his.
After a minute of touring and tasting each other, he broke away, panting. Heavy breaths blew through her hair as he rested his cheek against hers. “That may have been a mistake.”
She could feel his erection press into the space between her legs. A fresh rush of warmth raced through her. “Felt pretty good to me.”
“Too good.” He stepped back, putting a few inches of air between them. “That’s the point.”
For a second she thought he was going to leave, but he leaned down and pulled the covers back. “Get in.”
She didn’t hesitate. She scurried inside, letting the soft sheets fall around her. She was about to say something to him, give him an out, when he slid in beside her. One turn and he lay behind her with an arm around her waist. His mouth lingered in her hair and a now familiar bulge pressed against her.
“You’re safe with me.” The words vibrated in his chest as he spoke them. “Always. You can count on that.”
