Twisted Perfection (Rosemary Beach #5)(46)

I couldn’t stay out here any longer. I needed to watch her sleep. I needed to be there the moment she cried out. I walked over to her door and eased it open.

I waited until my eyes adjusted to the darkness before walking inside and closing the door behind me.

She was curled up on the bed in a small ball. Like she was protecting herself. My hoodie swallowed her but she held it tightly against her just like Tripp had said. Seeing her in my sweatshirt like that had the caveman in me pounding his chest. She was mine. She knew it. I wanted to crawl in bed and hold her. If she wanted to feel me so bad she was burying her nose in my clothing I could help her out with ease. She could smell me.

I was here for a reason. I couldn’t sit down. I was restless. I stood in the corner with my arms crossed over my chest and watched her sleep. She was so peaceful right now. It was hard to believe she had trouble sleeping.

A small whimper came from her and my head snapped to attention. I studied her face and waited. She began twisting handfuls of my sweatshirt then a strange noise started in her throat. I was across the room instantly. Just as I sat down on the bed beside her she let out a blood-curdling scream and her body tossed and turned on the bed. I reached for her and she fought me. Her eyes were tightly closed but she was crying out and fighting me with surprising strength. Each sound that ripped from her tore at me. I hated knowing she was lost in some unknown terror and I couldn’t save her. I pulled her tightly against my chest and began whispering soothing words in her ear. I promised I wasn’t going anywhere and begged her to come back to me. I told her she was beautiful and I would take care of her I just needed her to open her eyes and see me. Other words poured out of me as my eyes stung and my heart raced. Her screaming continued but she had stopped fighting me and was clawing to get closer to me. She buried her head in my shoulder and inhaled deeply then cried out in relief. Her arms wrapped around my neck and held onto me as she climbed into my lap. The screams became small cries and then they ceased altogether.

I felt the wetness of my tears on my face. I quickly wiped at them before she could see me and then ran my hand soothingly over her head and began whispering to her that I was here. I had her and that she was okay.

“Woods?” she choked out in a sob and continued to hold onto me just as tightly as I held her.

“Yes, baby, I got you. You’re okay,” I said softly against her ear.

The tension in her body eased and she melted against me with a deep sigh. “I think my dream just got better,” she mumbled and laid her head against my chest.

I sat there waiting for her to say more but she didn’t. She stayed curled up in my arms and within seconds her deep even breathing confirmed that she was sound asleep.

I eased back onto her bed and she kept her hold on me. I let go long enough to pull the covers over us then wrapped her up in my arms again and let my eyes close. She was okay. She was safe.





Della



The warmth and delicious smell of Woods hoodie was stronger than it had been when I’d fallen asleep. I snuggled closer and the hard body and arms wrapped around me caused me to pause. I took another deep breath and realized that it wasn’t Woods’ hoodie I was smelling. I opened my eyes and looked up to see Woods’ stubbled chin. He was in bed with me. He was also fully clothed. So was I. I thought back to last night and I was positive I’d gotten in bed by myself.

“Good morning,” his sexy deep voice said startling me. His eyes were still closed.

“Um… good morning,” I replied, watching him. A smile tugged on his lips and he opened his eyes and moved his head so he was looking down at me.

“You feel real good in the mornings,” he said, slipping his hand around my waist.

He did too. But where did he come from?

“Uh, thank you. Um, what are doing here?” I asked.

The humor in his eyes was replaced by something else. I wondered if I had hurt his feelings. Had I forgotten something? Was I blacking out now? Oh God…

“I came over last night after you went to sleep,” he said.

Relief swamped me. I hadn’t blacked out and forgotten something. I was okay. But why had he come back?

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to be here when you had a bad dream. I should be the one holding you, not Tripp.”

Understanding slowly dawned on me and I began to pull away from him. His arms tightened around me and I couldn’t move. “Don’t,” he said simply. “Let me finish.”

I stayed still in his arms. My body was completely stiff. He had been here to see my crazy. Had he seen it? I hadn’t woken up. Was he leaving me now? Did he see just how insane I was? I hated Tripp. He had told him. He’d seen us together yesterday and warned him that I was crazy.

“Tripp was worried about my intentions with you. He came to my office yesterday to talk to me about it before he caught us in there together. He wanted to see how serious I was where you were concerned. He was there to warn me off. I convinced him that I was more serious about you than I had ever been about a girl and he told me about your bad dreams. I wanted to be here. I couldn’t stand the idea of him holding you. Of you going through that and me not being here for you. Don’t be mad at me, sweetheart. Please, I don’t want you ever to sleep without me beside you again. I can’t stand the thought of you dealing with that alone.”