Come Together (The Cityscape 3)

“But you did it with me,” I said.

He rubbed my back. “You’re different,” was all he said. He pecked me lightly.

I was tired. Too tired to read into his comment. Instead, I melted into the feeling of his hand on my back.

“You can barely keep your eyes open.”

I nodded and yawned again.

“Bed, baby.”

“Hmm?”

I heard him laugh, and he scooted off the bed, picking me up with him. My arms wrapped around his neck, I nuzzled my nose into his neck and I drifted.

~

I can’t breathe. Oh my God. Hands on me, holding me still. There’s blood, so much blood, David’s blood, and I . . . can’t . . . breathe . . . .

I bolted upright and gasped for air. My hand flew to my bare chest. I tried to scream, but my throat was dry, and I started coughing violently.

Someone was standing over me in the dark. “What’s wrong?” David’s voice was panicked. “Olivia, what?”

I pressed my hand harder into my throat and gulped in a breath. “Someone – ” I croaked and started coughing again.

“You need water,” he said, turning away.

“No!” I exclaimed, grasping his hand. “No, please, stay,” I begged.

He crawled into the bed and melded his front to my back. His powerful arms snaked around me, securing me tightly.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“What happened?”

“A nightmare. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You didn’t. I’d just set you in the bed and was putting out the fire.”

“Good,” I said, gripping his forearms and snuggling closer.

“What was it about?”

I closed my eyes. “I couldn’t breathe. I never can. Someone was holding me down, smothering me . . . and there was blood . . . your blood. You were bleeding.”

He made a strangled noise. “I’ve been too rough with you.”

I shook my head emphatically. “I think it’s because of the fight with Bill tonight.”

“You have nightmares often?”

“Only since . . .”

“Since what?” he prompted.

“The night in the alley.”

His head popped up behind me.

“With Alvarez?”

“Yes,” I said quietly.

“Oh, baby,” he said, burrowing in my neck and rocking me. “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have restrained you.”

“No,” I breathed. “It’s not that.”

“I will never let anyone touch you the way he did.” He shook me gently in his arms. “Do you hear me?” he asked fervently in my ear. “I promise. You’re safe with me.”

“I know,” I said. “My superhero.”

“Do you need water?”

“Don’t leave,” I sighed. I rotated in his grasp and wrapped my arms tightly around him. “Don’t go.”

CHAPTER 9

DAVID STIRRED underneath me. My eyes opened to a light-infused room that felt as warm and happy as I did. His arms pulled me closer, and I lifted my head from his shoulder to look at him. “Did we fall asleep like this?” I whispered.

He nodded.

I sighed. “Sorry.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t mean to cling to you all night.”

His chest shook underneath me with a laugh. “Cling? I believe you ladies call it cuddling.”

“I hate cuddling. At least I think I do,” I said.

He laughed harder. “Were you uncomfortable?”

“No. I slept great.”

“Then maybe we should do it every night. Until you hate it again, that is.”

I smiled and resettled on his chest, relishing the feel of him under my cheek. His skin was inviting, and I was warm from a surprisingly peaceful sleep. I couldn’t help but reach out and run my hand over his suntanned pecs; they were planes of sprawling hardness with some dark hair. And they were mine to touch, to kiss, to wake up against. He moaned softly . . . .

I climbed up swiftly and straddled him, tossing my hair over one shoulder. He raised a perfect black eyebrow at me, and I leaned down to kiss him. He licked my bottom lip and took it gently between his teeth. Propping myself on him, I felt his chest rise and fall faster as the kiss deepened.

His hands glided over my back and down to my hips, kneading and pulling my ass while my heart rate quickened. He took himself and slipped inside of me easily, as though he belonged there. His hands pressed down on my lower back while he gave me short, deep thrusts.

Our moans were soft into each other’s mouths, a stark contrast to the rapid-fire fucking of the night before. I felt every single inch of him moving in and out of me, every ridge and contour that glided against me. I was sensitive and sore, but his touch alone had me melting like butter on top of him.