Page 79 of The Spare

“No. The moonlight is enough.”

Before my mind can construct another reason to keep my distance, I reach out and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her back flush against my chest. She fits against me perfectly. I rest my chin on the top of her head, my fingers interlacing tightly with hers across her stomach, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing.

“I’m right here, Lex,” I whisper into the dark. My lips brush her hair as I squeeze her closer. “Nobody is ever going to hurt you again.”

She buries herself deeper into my hold, her hand tightening around mine. I lie awake in the quiet night, holding the one thing that matters most in this entire world.

Every few moments, I pull her closer against my chest as if resting her near my heart is the one thing keeping me centered. The terror of what happened to her still vibrates under my skin. My body aches to keep her locked in my arms. I don’t want to leave her side. Not today. Not ever.

“Lex.”

“Yeah?”

“Do me a favor. Please consider taking some time off work?” There’s a pleading edge to my words.

She shifts slightly, her hand flattening over my heart.

“Just a few days,” I press, tightening my hold around her. “So you can rest and have the time you need to process everything. Plus, I need to know you’re safe right here where I can look out for you.” I know this is a big ask. Her practice is time-consuming.

She stills for a beat. I notice her leaning in to inhale the scent of my shirt before looking up into my eyes. The fear in her deep blue gaze is still raw, but as she studies the desperation on my face, her body relaxes. “Okay.” She offers a reassuring nod against my neck. “I’ll call in and take some time off.” She yawns.

A massive wave of relief washes over me, and I press a long, quiet kiss to her forehead, keeping her held tight against my body.

On autopilot, I wake up before the sun clears the horizon. The pale gray light of early dawn filters through the sheer curtains of the balcony doors. Usually, my mind races toward the harvest and the vineyard debt the second my eyes open. But this morning, all of that vanishes.

Alexis is still asleep in my arms, her back tucked flush against my chest, her head resting right under my chin. Her breathing is slow and steady. One of her hands is still loosely entwined with mine. I’ve kept my arm anchored around her waist all night.

I don’t move a single muscle. I barely dare to breathe. Terrified that the slightest shift will break the spell and wake her up to a reality where yesterday’s terror still exists.

For the longest time, I’d convinced myself that keeping my distance was the right thing to do. I built a wall, pretending I could handle playing the stoic, respectful husband.

What a complete load of bull.

I’m utterly and completely in love with this woman. There’s nothing that will ever change that. I either find a way to make peace with the demons of my past or risk losing her. And that’s simply not an option.

Alexis stirs softly. A quiet, sleepy sigh escapes her lips as she shifts against me. Her fingers tighten around mine, and she buries her face deeper into the crook of my neck.

A sharp, fierce wave of protectiveness hits me so hard it actually physically hurts. Yesterday, some bastards put their hands on her. They threw her into a car, terrified her, and dumped her on the side of the road like a piece of trash. The thought of how close I came to losing her makes my pulse spike. My grip around her waist tightens a fraction.

“Sam?” her voice is still thick with sleep. She turns slowly in my arms, resting her forehead against my chest as her eyes flutter open. She peers up at me, her blue eyes slightly unfocused. She seems so vulnerable in the quiet morning light.

“Hey.” I bring my free hand up, gently tucking a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”

She blinks slowly. I watch as the memory of yesterday flashes briefly across her features before she looks down at our joined hands resting between us on the mattress. A soft blush creeps up her neck, turning her cheeks a delicate pink.

“I’m surprisingly okay.” Her thumb traces the callouses on the pads of my fingers. She pauses, looking back up into my eyes. “Thank you. I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep at all last night. But you made me feel safe.”

“You never have to thank me for that.” My throat feels tight, choking on all of the raw emotions I feel for this beautiful woman.

She stares at me, her breath catching slightly at the intensity in my voice. The air between us grows thick with a heat that has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with the unspoken truth hanging in the space between us.

But I need to be careful before taking this any farther with her. She’s been through an unimaginable hell. When the time is right, I can show her how much I love her physically. And from the way she’s looking at me, I can’t imagine we’ll be able to hold off much longer.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Sam

Things have finally settled down after the chaos of the kidnapping attempt and the fire. Yet the lingering aftershocks have left both of us feeling a bit on edge. Every unexpected creak of the floorboards or sudden ring of a phone sends a spike of adrenaline straight through me.