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“H … h … h …”
Just like her inability to run away, she couldn’t form the word to scream for help.
“H … h … help!” It finally burst from her lips. “Aiden! Help!”
The scream yanked her from the weird half-consciousness and nightmare. Before she could even sit up in bed, Aiden was there.
His arms were around her, lifting her against his solid chest, comforting her, being there for her.
“Aiden! Jorge! He’s coming. He’ll hurt me. You won’t be there.”
“Chalisa.” His voice was as soft as she’d ever heard it. “I’m here. Don’t worry, love. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
Chalisa wrapped her arms tight around his neck and blinked up at him. In the dark she couldn’t see his blue eyes, but she could hazily make out his features.
“Aiden,” she begged, as needy as she’d ever been in her life. She needed him. Desperately. In every facet of her life. “You’ll never let anyone hurt me?”
“Never.” His voice was fierce, a pledge of the toughest man on earth to the lady he loved. “You’re safe. I will make certain that you are safe.”
“I love you,” she admitted to him.
She wasn’t certain how he reacted because she arched up toward him and pressed her lips to his, kissing him with all the desperation from her nightmare, all the longing stored inside her, all the love she felt for him.
Aiden returned the kiss and then some. He pressed her against the pillows and headboard and matched her desperation, longing, and love with intense, thorough, and beautiful kisses.
Chalisa clung to him and could only pray this kissing would never end.
Yanking himself away from her, Aiden released her and leaped to his feet. She was instantly bereft of his touch and his lips on hers. Their labored breathing was the only sound in the darkness.
“Forgive me, Chalisa.” His voice was ragged, raw. “I cannot kiss you … in here.” He backed toward the door.
She scrambled out of the bed and to her feet, wrapping her arms around his lower back and pressing against him. “Can you kiss me in the main area?”
“Ah, love.” He bent and captured her lips again. His hand threaded into her hair and pressed her mouth even more forcefully against his. She’d never felt anything so thrilling.
As quick as the kiss started, he released her again.
“Please.” Aiden’s voice was soft again. “We can’t. Get some rest.”
He was out the door and the door was firmly shut behind him before she could draw another breath. She heard him bound across the main area and then his bedroom door slammed shut.
Suddenly weak, she sank onto the bed behind her and touched her fingertips to her lips. Her mouth, her entire body thrummed with the intense beauty of their kisses. Unfortunately for her, it only made her long for him more and he’d walked away. No, he’d run away.
He had promised to keep her safe. Did that mean he wouldn’t leave her after this week? She had no idea, but she wouldn’t bet on it.
Chapter
Ten
Aiden was skittish and off Thursday, and everybody seemed to sense it. He tried to joke that he was nervous to meet the competition. Stuart and Wes thought that was very funny. He was sneaking more glances at Chalisa as she trained than he was focusing on mastering the joust.
“Dude! We’re regressing here,” Stuart shot at him, obviously annoyed. “I am not standing by while you lose to a couple of squids. What is wrong?”
He swallowed and admitted, “Chalisa.”
Wes and Stuart shared a look.
“Go storm across the stadium and kiss her,” Wes suggested. “Then we can focus.”
