Page 45 of The Saint

“Damn it,” I murmured, then pressed a kiss to her forehead. “That’s probably our ride.”

Jael nodded, her grip loosening only slightly until I set her on the ground. I grabbed my phone from my pocket, lifting it to my ear while I kept my eyes on her, even though she kept hers on the ground.

“This is Rolly. Yeah, we’ll be right there.”

* * *

We were drenched by the time we got back to my apartment, completely soaked to the bone. I ushered Jael through the door, hands on her shoulders like it could keep her from falling apart.

We’d had to run from my storage units to the front gate through rain that went from heavy to torrential by the time we were twenty feet away. But it was the thunder and lightning that bothered her the most. Always had been. And tonight was the worst I’d seen it in years.

“Here,” I told her, letting her go so I could rush to my dresser near the bathroom door. I grabbed a pair of athletic shorts and a t-shirt and returned to her side. “Get dried off and put these on. There’s clean towels under the sink.”

“Okay.” Her voice was just louder than a whisper, and I knew it was because I’d be less likely to hear it tremble at that volume. She stepped around me, but I grabbed her wrist and swung her around.

“Hey.” My hand slid along the shaved side of her head, my fingers twisting into the wet locks at the back. “I’m right here.”

“Okay,” she said, louder this time, and she forced her lips into a smile.

While she was in the bathroom, I yanked the cushions off my couch and tossed them to the floor. Then I grabbed all the pillows and extra blankets in the apartment and my comforter from my bed. Jael found me fluffing the pillows on the makeshift bed on the floor, and the smile she gave was much more genuine, less forced.

“Climb on in,” I told her, giving her a quick kiss. “I’ll be right back.”

“Rolly.” She snagged my hand before I could get past her, tugging me back like I had to her. “I’m not scared anymore.”

Her chin was raised, her gaze direct. But she couldn’t hide the tremble of her jaw, even though she tried to keep it clenched.

“Okay,” I told her, just a whisper that matched her earlier one. Then I turned away, leaving her to soak in the lie she told and the knowledge that I could still see through her.

When I was dried and dressed in clean shorts, I returned to the room and found her exactly where I expected her: curled in a ball under the blankets in the middle of the makeshift bed. I rounded the corner of the pile of cushions, pulled the comforter back, and climbed in behind her.

Just like when we were kids, I wrapped myself around her. Arms pulling her against me, legs tucking up against hers as she pulled them to her chest.

“I got you,” I whispered near her ear as thunder continued to roll outside. “It’s okay. I won't let you go.”

Her hands gripped my arms, holding them tight. Her back pressed to my stomach, and I curled around her, a shell of protection that would never let her get hurt.

Jael turned that gorgeous green gaze over her shoulder at me. Her smile slowly built across her lips. She twisted in my grip, turning her body to face mine, then snuggled up against me, both hands on my bare chest.

“Thank you.”

My fingers traced along her temple, behind her ear and down her neck. She shivered, and it brought out every protective instinct I had. I pulled her closer, my mouth descending on hers.

And damn if the kiss wasn’t as spectacular as the one earlier. Maybe more so. Because she kissed me like she needed me. Like the taste on my tongue was a cure for all her fears. Our mouths collided again and again, teeth bumping, tongues swirling, lips caressing in unending patterns I wanted to memorize and replicate.

My hands roved across her back, hers skated along my shoulders and into my hair. There was no hiding what she did to me, the panting of my breaths, the pounding of my heart, the swelling of my dick as her body squirmed closer to mine.

“Rolly.” It came out a whimper, and I pulled my head back, fearful that I’d hurt her somehow. But I found hooded eyes and swollen lips, her chest rising and falling like we’d finished a ten-mile run.

She pressed closer, lips on mine, hands yanking my head to her and holding me still. My fingers slipped under the hem of her shirt, and I groaned when I felt her smooth, warm skin.

Jael froze. Turned her face away. Buried it in the side of my neck.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered, breaths heaving from my chest.

She let out a long breath, then whispered, “I want you.”

I nudged her, rolled her onto her back. Stared down into those mossy green eyes. I raised my hand along her side, under her shirt, smoothing along her skin as she shivered at my touch.