Finally, she quieted. A tissue was pressed into her hand and she blew her nose.

“Thanks,” she said, tossing it onto the floor.

“Litterbug.”

“It’s my floor, I can be messy if I want.”

He grunted and kissed her temple. “Feel better?”

“I feel like someone ran me over with a tank, but yeah, better.”

“Remind me to buy you a tank for Christmas.”

“Ha ha.”

They sat for another minute or two, not talking. Then Smitty said, “I dream about it too sometimes.”

“Do you kill people in your dreams?”

“Sometimes, but those aren’t the worst ones for me.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, the ones that make me want to throw up are the ones where I find you in the wreckage, dead.”

She leaned away so she could see his face. It was as bleak as she was sure hers was. “Dead?”

“Yeah.” His arms squeezed her a little. “You have no idea how good it was to open your bedroom door a minute ago to see you alive and well.”

“Oh yeah, my eyes and nose are red and puffy. I look like I went through a carwash with my windows open.”

He laughed and tilted her chin up with one hand. “You are completely gorgeous. In fact,” he grinned. “I’d love to see you soaking wet.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but he kissed her instead.

His lips were soft and tentative at first, as if he were asking for permission. He tasted so delicious it lit a fire in her gut. His kiss drove the last of the nightmare aside, bathing her in desire and need. So much better than fear and worry.

She sucked his lower lip into her mouth to give him her answer.

He groaned and turned ravenous, his lips and tongue devouring her with a hunger that sparked her own. His muscles rippled under her hands and she wallowed in the strength of him, clutching him closer. But it wasn’t close enough.

Frustrated, she shifted on his lap until she straddled him. She rubbed her breasts against his chest and moaned as the contact with her nipples burned its way through her.

Suddenly she was on her back with him lying between her legs.

“If you don’t want this,” he growled. “Tell me to back the fuck offnow.”

“I want,” she replied licking her lips, hungry for his taste. “Oh, do I want.”

“Thank God,” he muttered as he took her lips again. He nipped and nibbled, then soothed them with his tongue, over and over again, until she was wild.

“Touch me,” she whispered. “Take me.”

His answer was to nip and suck his way down her neck until he reached the edge of her tank top. He reared back and pushed his hand up and under it while she grabbed the edges and yanked it over her head. His hands went to her breasts, moulding them and plucking at the nipples. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”

“I’m not too big?” she asked, breathless and shaking.

He laughed. “You’re perfect.” Then he leaned down and took on nipple in his mouth, his tongue laving and tugging at it.