Fast Burn (Body Armor #4)(41)

Arm around her, Brand led her toward the bed. “You don’t ever have to worry about that, not with me.”

“I know.”

When he lifted the covers, she crawled in, turned on her side away from him and let out a lusty sigh.

“Get some sleep.”

She mumbled something vague and faded away.

For far too long Brand stood there beside the bed, feeling things he didn’t understand, before he convinced himself to turn out the lights and walk away. He left the door slightly ajar.

Since she didn’t want to sleep in her brother’s room, he didn’t either. After a quick shower in the other bathroom, he crashed on the couch. Wearing only his boxers, one arm stacked behind his head, he stared at the ceiling and watched the shifting lights through the open windows. It took him a long time to get to sleep when all he really wanted to do was join Sahara.

Dawn had turned the sky a grayish pink when he awoke to a sound. At first he didn’t move, not physically anyway, but his senses sharpened on high alert. He breathed slow and easy, listening.

There, he heard it again.

It was a sound that struck terror in a man’s heart.

A sniffle, a catch of breath...

Sahara was crying.

He didn’t think about whether or not she’d want privacy; there was no way in hell he could stop himself from going to her.

The door remained as he’d left it, slightly open, but thanks to the closed drapes the room was still dark. “Sahara?”

A sudden stillness, thick with dread, filled the air. “Go back to bed, Brand.”

Not on your life. He heard the tears in her voice. “What’s wrong?” Even moving closer, he could barely make her out on the bed.

“Nothing,” she whispered. “Sorry I woke you.”

Sitting on the side of the mattress, he reached for her shoulder. “Honey—”

“Please just go. I promise you, I’m fine.”

He couldn’t leave her, but grilling her right now wasn’t the right thing either. “Scoot over.”

Stunned, she half turned toward him. “What do you think you’re—”

“It’s barely dawn and I’m still tired.” He crowded in, spooning her, dragging her close against him so he could hold her tight. “Isn’t this nicer?”

His heart beat ten times before she grudgingly said, “Yes.”

He waited for her to relax, all the while willing himself not to get hard. A tough request after seeing her naked, touching her body and God, the way her ass fit against his groin...

He just held her for a while, but he knew she hadn’t gone back to sleep. Because she was still upset? It gnawed on him, the need to console her.

Keeping his voice low, he said, “Odd that you didn’t mind me seeing you naked, but you’re defensive over a few tears.”

“I’ve been naked before.”

But she never cried? He hugged her. “You definitely have no reason for modesty. I mean, I tried not to look, but I’m only human.”

Her fingertips teased over the forearm he had draped around her and pressed between her breasts. “I’m glad you looked.”

Yeah, that wasn’t going to help him keep a boner at bay. “If I’d have known that, I would’ve dumped the nobility right off.” At least her voice sounded steadier. He kissed the top of her head. “Will you tell me why you were—”

“No.”

He should let it go, but he couldn’t. “Sahara...”

With more weariness than heat, she said, “I had a dream, okay?”

His thoughts scrambled. “About the kidnapping?”

She shook her head. “About Scott. I...miss him.”

Even as he wished for a way to comfort her, he resented how much of her time she wasted on a ghost. “I know you two were really close.”

She fell silent, then finally said, “Really, I’m sorry I woke you.”

Brand squeezed her. “Stop apologizing to me.”

“Okay.” She thought for a second more, then suggested, “You could help me forget the dream.”

Temptation gnawed at him. She’d only had around six hours of sleep, and he’d probably gotten four. “You need to be at work in just a few hours.”

“Takes me less than half an hour to get ready.”

“Damn, so you are Wonder Woman? I always suspected.”

Her sharp elbow came back, landing against his abs.

Just for fun and to play along, he faked an Oof even though it hadn’t hurt.

He heard the smile in her voice when she said, “That’s for insinuating that all women primp too long in the bathroom.”

“Pretty sure that’s a basic fact of life.” This was nice, he decided, lying in the dark with Sahara, teasing, playing.

Getting ridiculously turned on.

“Brand?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m saying yes,” she whispered, “if you’ll only ask.”

So she’d felt his erection, obviously. He wanted her, very badly, but trying to think of what she needed most, he said, “I think we should talk about your brother.” He waited for her refusal.

Instead, she said, “I’ve wondered what he’d think of you.”