“Don’t say that.”
“But I do. I don’t want to run to the shelter of a man. I want to fight my own battles.”
“Everyone needs help, sweetheart. It has nothing to do with the fact that you’re a woman. We all need to band together to reach our goals sometimes. You aren’t relying on me to do anything. I’m looking after you because—” The words died in my throat before I could say them, before I could do something incredibly stupid. “I’m looking after you because I can’t live without you, Rome. We’re a team. We’re in this together.” I kissed her temple again, my lips warm against her cold skin. “We will find a solution. I promise you.” My hand cupped her neck, and I rested my thumb against her gently beating pulse. I pressed my mouth against hers and gave her a slow kiss, full of affection and devotion. I wanted her to feel safe with me because there was nowhere else in the world that she would be safer. I didn’t need guns or knives to protect her. All I needed was my body and my bare hands.
I was dead asleep when Rome rolled hard into my side, her hand lashing out and striking me right in the back of the head.
I sat upright and looked down at her, my eyes lidded and heavy with sleep. I dragged my hand down my face so I could get a better look at her, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to reality.
Tears streaked down her face as she continued to whimper under her breath, saying wordless phrases in the throes of a nightmare.
“Sweetheart.” I grabbed her shoulder and shook her gently. “Come on, you’re having a nightmare.” I shook her again when my words weren’t enough to wake her up. “Rome.” I said it more firmly, using her name to pull her out of the terror she was experiencing.
She finally sat up and gripped her chest as she gasped, taking in a deep breath like it was the first time she could access air. When she felt the tears, she quickly wiped them away as if she was embarrassed. She stared into the dark room like she was trying to figure out where she was.
“Rome, it’s okay.” My arm hooked around her, and I pressed into her side. “It was just a nightmare. That’s all.”
She pulled her knees to her chest and concentrated on slowing her breathing, forcing herself to calm down.
I pressed a kiss to her shoulder and allowed my affection to heal her, to remind her she was safe with me. “It’s just you and me. No one else.” I rubbed her back and continued to kiss her, to let my adoration seep through her skin and directly into her core. “Alright?”
All she did was nod.
I kissed the back of her neck then her hairline, giving her more affection to lull her back into relaxation. I lay back down and then patted the mattress beside me.
She eyed the spot before she crawled across my chest, getting so close to me there wasn’t any space between us. My body heat encompassed her, bringing her back into the security my strong frame provided. “I’m sorry…”
“Shh, it’s okay.” I ran my hand through her hair as I held her close to me.
“I don’t usually have nightmares.”
“It happens to the best of us.”
“Did I hurt you?”
“No.” I pressed my mouth against hers, giving her a seductive kiss that changed the course of her thoughts. Feeling her cling to me for comfort only aroused me. I loved hearing that she needed me, that I made her feel safe when no one else in the world could. I loved seeing her trust me, knowing I would risk my own life to protect hers. In that sense, it reminded me of the Dom/sub relationship that I missed, where my partner trusted me completely to give her what she needed.
Now I was hard, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I kept kissing her until I felt the strength to pull away. Rome just had a nightmare, and it would be insensitive for me to automatically take it to sex, not when she was obviously still upset.
Rome stared at my lips once they were gone, her lidded eyes looking beautiful in the dark. She moved back into me and kissed me again, her lips aching for mine. Her smell washed over me, her hand gripping me like she needed me. Then she pulled me on top of her, her leg hooking around my waist.
Once I felt my cock rub against her wet pussy, all my sensitivity went out the window. My woman wanted me—and there was no way in hell I was going to say no.
3
Rome
I wasn’t prepared for the nightmare that came to me the night before. Hank was the star, and he gripped me by the neck and bent me over the bed, raising my dress and removing my panties with force.