She yawned again. “I’m fine.”
“You say that too often. Even when it is blatantly untrue.” He rubbed the back of her neck and she moaned with pleasure. “So wound up and stiff. It’s a wonder you can sleep at night.”
“I can’t.
“That so?”
She shrugged. “Mostly, I toss and turn until the wee hours of the morning. Too much going on to shut my brain off.”
“Hmm, we’ll have to see what we can do about that.”
“I won’t take a sleeping pill. I might not hear the boys if they need me.”
“Oh, I wasn’t talking about a pill.”
She shifted around on his lap, felt something hard pressing against her buttock.
He placed an arm over her hips as though sensing she was going to jump up. “Don’t get scared off. It’s just a reaction to having you so close.” He nuzzled at her neck. “Perfectly natural, if a little uncomfortable.”
“Sorry,” she whispered.
He chuckled. “You’re the first person to ever apologize for giving me a hard-on.”
“Oh.” It did sound a bit silly when he said it out loud. “Are you sure you don’t want me to move?”
“If you move then I’ll just have to put you back here.”
Where she belonged. Now where the hell did that thought come from?
Feeling uncomfortable, she held herself stiffly. His fingers started to massage her scalp and she closed her eyes with a low whimper. Oh, God that felt so good. She couldn’t help but slump against him.
He tilted her chin up then leaned down and kissed her. Her clit tingled and her nipples hardened. His tongue slipped gently between her lips to tease and play. She made a low murmuring noise, wanting more. Needing it.
He drew back to look down at her. “I want you to come to me if you or the boys are ill or injured, or you’re worried and need help. Or if things aren’t going well with Renard.”
She stiffened.
“Hmm, I thought that might be the case. I told you to come to me if he was being too much of an asshole.”
“It’s not a big deal. I can handle him.”
“Little girl, you’re already in a world of trouble. I suggest you don’t add to it.”
Crap.
“He’s a prick.”
“Yes. And?”
“I can get along with him most of the time, but some of his demands are unreasonable. Like that layer cake. I don’t even see the point. We have enough desserts. And he’s been worse lately.” She frowned. “I feel like I’m tattling.”
“You’re under my protection. I have the right to know if something or someone is upsetting you.”
His possessiveness did something funny to her stomach.
“So how do you want to handle this?”
“You’d let me handle it?” She sat up a bit straighter. She’d expected him to immediately want to ride in on his white horse, guns blazing. It’s why she hadn’t said anything until now. Perhaps that had been a mistake.