Page 66 of Untamed Protector

“Go to bed, Lexi. I’m staying here. Tomorrow, we can talk about Grain Inc. and Anita’s lies and our fake dating at the boat show. Tomorrow, we start over.”

I stand in the doorway, looking him straight in the eye.

“Please, Lexi. Just for once, it would be nice if you did what I said.”

I walk out, almost in tears.

***

The house feels dead silent, except for footsteps coming closer to my open door. I’m snuggled under the covers, trying to fall asleep. I prop myself up and see Gabriel walking in.

“Are you okay?” I ask. My voice barely whispers the question as I watch him undress in the dim light. Jeans fall to the floor with a soft thud. He slides next to me, his arms wrapping around me from behind. Heat radiates from his body as his hand slowly travels down my back, sending shivers skittering across my skin. His touch lingers on my stomach before trailing up to cup my face, his fingers brushing against my lips. Our legs tangle together, his body pressed flush against mine.

He still doesn’t speak. He’s a lone wolf who avoids relationships, and I knew that from the start. But his body tells a different story. It craves mine. Even though he won’t say it, I can feel this man wants me more than he’s willing to admit, even to himself.

“I should get back to my life. If I stick around, I’ll only be getting in your way. You’ve got so much to do, and I can feel how tense you are. You’ve put your life on hold for me.”

He hugs me and grunts, “Not much of a life.”

“Gabriel, you can talk to me, you know.”

I can feel his left hand clutching my abdomen, his fingers searching for support.

“You don’t need my problems in your life, Lexi. Trust me. But you’re still in danger. There’s a storm coming, and it’s not safe to face it alone.”

“That woman at your office earlier… who is she?” I ask, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach. “You seem different after you met her, like you’re shaken by something. I want to be there for you, but you need to talk to me.”

“Someone who wants to take something valuable from me.” And… we’re back to speaking in riddles. Why is it so hard for you to trust me, Gabriel?

“Why did she give you one week?” I continue to ask, trying to dig deeper and force him to talk to me.

“Because heartless people like to drive the knife into tormented hearts.”

His hand slowly reaches down, grazing the skin between my thighs. As he pulls aside the silk of my shorts, I can feel his shuddering touch.

“That first night together, you said you didn’t have pajamas. Little liar,” he says, trying to pull away and change the topic.

“I, uh, might’ve needed some calming down. I was so freaking scared that night. My mind was all over the place, and my heart was racing like hell,” I answer, playing into his game.

“Did my T-shirt help?”

“No, but having you right there on the couch, just a few steps away, did the trick.”

His face is hidden, so I can’t tell if he’s smiling or not. All I feel is his warmth radiating next to me. His hand slides away from the hot spot between my thighs, traveling up to my face. His fingers dance across my skin, brushing my cheeks before lingering on my lips, tracing my scar. Without thinking, I lean in, my breath catching in my throat. I want him to hold me tight, to feel his strong arms break the last of my resistance, to feel his strength around me. He has my gaze for a moment, a flicker of something raw crossing his eyes before he speaks.

“Stay with me, Lexi,” he whispers, his voice husky. His hand traces lines across my cheekbones and nose, lingering on the scar as if memorizing it. “This place feels different since you came here. Maybe it’s selfish of me to want this,” he whispers, a hint of vulnerability in his voice. “Forgive me.”

“I miss Dad,” I confess with a sigh. “And I need to find a job. It’s time to take my life back, you know? I’ve always been independent.” His hand settles against my left breast, a comforting weight that sends a jolt through me. He doesn’t move it, doesn’t explore further. It simply rests there, like a silent promise of support.

“Give me one more week. I have some leads that might finally bring closure and help put this nightmare behind you.”

“One week is what that woman said, too. Any connection?”

“No. Well, maybe. Just stay. Please.” Gabriel’s once bossy and demanding tone is gone. His voice, hoarse and pleading, now whispers in my ear, igniting a fire within me.

I turn, my fingers instinctively wrapping around his neck. We lie face-to-face in the dimly lit bedroom, the only light a sliver of moonlight peeking through the window. The house is silent, the quiet broken only by the ragged rhythm of his breathing against my lips.

“Okay. One week. I wish you’d trust me enough to talk about this weight you’re carrying.”

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