Run To Me (Lazarus Rising #4)(14)

And the tension slowly left her body. He kept gently caressing her, holding her, and he felt the moment when she eased into sleep once more. Jay knew he could get up then. He could slip from the room.

But Willow would be alone when he left. What if she had another bad dream?

Besides, he liked holding her. Liked it too much, truth be told, but his eager dick could just settle the hell down. This wasn’t about sex. This was about her. About what Willow needed.

He stared up at the ceiling. She felt good against him. Right.

As if she fit him.

***

Willow came awake slowly. She stretched her body, arching, and her eyes opened as—

As she touched someone. Someone in the bed with her.

In the bed with her.

Willow’s head jerked to the right. Her gaze fell on Jay. A still sleeping Jay. A Jay with his hair tousled and his long lashes against his cheeks. A Jay who wasn’t wearing a shirt and who had the covers shoved down near his waist, revealing the muscled expanse of his chest. For a man who spent a whole lot of hours typing on a keyboard, the guy was built. Rippling muscles, washboard abs, and—

“You’re in bed with me.” The words blurted from her.

And she remembered last night. Waking up. Touching him. Sending his worst fear slamming into his head.

She whipped into a sitting position, hauling the covers with her and clutching them to her chest.

Jay’s eyes opened. She expected him to stare at her in horror. She’d messed with his mind last night. Then he’d stayed with her? Oh, God, she pretty much remembered begging the guy to stay. Because she’d been afraid. And like all of the darker emotions, fear hit the Lazarus subjects too hard. It had slithered through her, chilling her, weakening her and—

“Morning, beautiful.” He smiled at her. A killer grin that made her hold the covers a bit tighter.

“You…” Okay, she sounded like she was squeaking. Willow cleared her throat. “You stayed.”

His smile dimmed. “Of course, you asked me to.”

He’d stayed. She lifted the covers and realized that she was still wearing her t-shirt and jogging shorts. She’d changed into them right before climbing into bed. “We didn’t have sex.”

“No.” Laughter lurked in the one word. “But if that’s an offer…”

Willow jumped out of the bed. She pulled the covers with her, and when she did, she saw that he was still in his jeans. “Why did you stay?”

He sat up in bed. “Because you asked me to.” The same words he’d just said. His head cocked as he studied her. “Soon enough, you’ll realize, that’s all you’ll ever have to do.”

Her gaze was on his jeans. On the very prominent front of his jeans.

Jay laughed. “Yeah, that happens in the mornings.”

Normal reaction. Nothing to do with her. A guy thing. An unfortunate guy thing, but—

“I’ve wanted you for a while, but I’ll never do anything you don’t want.” He rose from the bed, stretching himself. “Think I’ll go take a cold shower. Meant to have one last night, but couldn’t bring myself to leave you that long.”

And that was it. He walked past her and headed for the door. Her hand flew out, but she stopped herself, not touching him, vividly recalling everything that she’d done and he’d said the night before. “I’m sorry.”

At the bedroom door, he glanced back at her.

“About Emeline. I’m so sorry you lost her.”

His expression hardened. “Thank you.”

She wanted to say something that would comfort him. But she didn’t know how to comfort. She only knew how to make someone’s fears worse. How to drive a person to the brink of sanity. So she didn’t speak again, and Jay walked away. The door shut softly behind him.

When he was gone, Willow let out the breath that she’d been holding. She found herself returning to the bed. Her fingers reached out and touched the pillow he’d used.

He’d stayed with her.

That mattered, didn’t it?

She was pretty sure it did.

I’ll be here in the morning when you wake up.





Chapter Four


“I’m not going to keep a low profile,” Willow announced that night as she marched into Jay’s study. She found him dressed in a suit, looking drop dead sexy with his hair pushed back, and his collar turned up. “You aren’t leaving me at home tonight.”

Jay sighed. West stood at his side, and the guy smothered a laugh. “Told you. No way you’re leaving without her.”

“Willow.” Jay gave her a smile. She found it fake. “You were shot last night—”

“But you were the one being shot at,” she interrupted him curtly. “Not me. And if you’re going out because you think you can attract the shooter’s attention again, if you think you’re going to be the bait, then you’re taking me with you.”

His jaw hardened. “I’m going to the opening of a club. And I’m only doing it because I need the media to see that I don’t hide from anyone. If the person gunning for me wants me, then he’ll need to get his ass out there and come for me. Sawyer and Flynn will be there, they’ll both be looking for the shooter. Searching for anyone who doesn’t belong. We’ll have the super soldier aspect more than covered.”