Page 11 of Knight Before Christmas

I settle in front of Raine and grasp her hands, wondering how long this whole thing is going to take because my whole body is buzzing with the need to kill someone. To make sure that they understand that they crossed a line that they shouldn’t have been dancing across. Because I’m gonna enjoy taking them apart piece by piece.

“Hey, Raine. Come on, baby. Let’s get you ready for bed.” I feel like I should feed her but I don’t think either one of us will eat. I’m too angry and wired and she’s too out of it.

She nods her head and I wait but she doesn’t move. I sigh and lean down, lifting her up. She doesn’t even fight me and I’m starting to get scared. I’ve never seen her like this.

I walk to my bedroom and settle her gently on the pillows. She lies back, still wearing her t-shirt and jeans. “Honey, you need to get something else on or you’re going to have one uncomfortable night.”

She sits back up and I grab one of my huge t-shirts and turn to her. “Can you slip your clothes off and put this on, raindrop?” She doesn’t move and I grit my teeth. This is going to be sheer, fabulous torture.

I grasp her t-shirt and drag it over her head, gasping for breath and trying not to look when her red lace bra is exposed. I quickly avert my eyes and yank my shirt over her head, then pull her jeans off and settle her back against the pillows, her red hair glowing like fire on my silver sheets. Her eyes close and within seconds she’s fast asleep and I study her, my heart wrenching in my chest at how pale and tired she looks.

This has been an awful week and this is just the kicker on top of it. I can’t bear to see her so crushed and silent.

I change into a pair of gray sweatpants. I usually sleep nude but obviously I can’t do it tonight. I slip under my sheets and tug Raine into my arms, settling her in the circle of them, my chest pillowing her head.

I lean down and close my eyes, breathing in the soft, sweet scent of her. Like cinnamon and cookie dough. Then I close my eyes, trying to relax one muscle at a time until I can finally sleep.

But even during sleep, I don’t let go of her. Don’t lose awareness that she’s here with me. Where I know she belongs.

CHAPTER 9

Raine

Isigh and burrow deeper into warmth, a spicy scent enveloping me and easing the anxiety that’s been eating at me since yesterday’s shit show of a day.

My body perks up and I stifle a moan when my hand brushes against something hard and delicious. Knight stiffens under me and I suck in a sharp breath.

“Raine? Are you okay?” He doesn’t move, doesn’t even seem to breathe.

But my hand reaches out of its own volition and touches him, petting his broad chest and feeling the light pelt of dark hair that dapples his muscles and the smooth skin underneath it. He’s taut and tense and doesn’t seem to know what to do.

But I do. This is where I’ve always wanted to be. Where I know that I belong.

I gently brush across his lower belly and he sucks it in, his breathing turning raspy and low. He groans and sighs, his lean hips following my hand.

“I’m begging you, Raine. Stop while you still can. While I can keep this from going too far,” he growls.

“I don’t want you to stop.”

That’s the last thing I hear except for the harsh rasp of his voice in my ear as I crawl up and straddle him, petting his chest like he’s my favorite kitten.

He groans and closes his eyes, his hips thrusting up into mine. “Oh god, raindrop. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

I can’t. I lean down slowly and my mouth teases his lightly. Until he closes his teeth on my lower lip and tugs it lightly between his teeth. He growls and shifts and I feel his unfettered hardness pressing into my core where we’re now lined up perfectly.

I groan and he growls into my mouth, his kiss igniting a wildfire that flames up and burns all my inhibitions to ashes.

I can’t think beyond my fingertips dancing across the rippling muscles of his stomach that flex under my fingers. I slip down and my fingers catch at the waistband of his loose sweatpants, tugging them down until his hard length springs free.

He sucks in a breath and my eyes lock on his, the blazing heat in them fueling the rapid incineration of my last argument against this.

My lips press into his belly and then lower still until my mouth closes around the tip of him. His skin is like velvet on my tongue, sweet and musky.

He pants and his hands fist in my hair, tangling it until he can see what I’m doing. “You don’t have to do this, raindrop.”

But I ignore him and slip my mouth down further, sucking him in until I’m gagging on him and he’s growling and snarling like a wild beast under his breath.

I don’t know what stops us but all of a sudden, he snaps and lifts me up by my armpits. His eyes flash with a hungry light and I want nothing more than to devour him whole. I’ve never felt like this with anyone and it shocks me that it’s with this man.

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