Page 36 of Taken By Storm

“I’m sorry I was such a bear earlier,” she said, feeling guilty for her behavior. She was usually a nice person and considered herself to be pretty pleasant. When she wasn’t running on fumes anyway. Which was next to never these days.

She held the sheet against herself, taking mental stock of her injuries. Her scalp, where Doc had put in the stitches, was tender and she felt a bit stiff, but other than that…

She hadn’t felt this good in days. No—weeks.

“You were hurting…and living up to your name,” Levi said good-naturedly. “I’m a pain in the ass when I’m hurt too. Now,” he said, giving her that charming grin that had her considering adding her panties to that pile of clothes by the side of the bed. “Tell me about that dream. What was I doing to you that had you so breathless and flushed?”

Kasi narrowed her eyes, determined to wipe that arrogant, sexy smile off his face. “What makes you think I was dreaming about you?”

She expected him to laugh. What shedidn’tanticipate was his sudden fierce scowl.

“I’m going to let you in on something, little bear. I’m only just now discovering that I’m a possessive, jealous asshole whenit comes to you, so I don’t want another man showing up in your dreams any more than your real life.”

Kasi’s heart started to race again because…wow…swoon-worthy.

“Fine,” she said softly. “Maybe Iwasdreaming about you. That doesn’t mean it was a sex dream.”

Her response wiped away every trace of anger, his grin larger than life. Levi ran one finger along her bare arm, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.

“Oh, it was definitely a sex dream. What was I doing to you?”

She was glad the room was so dark. She hoped that meant he couldn’t see her blushing. “Nothing.” Hell would freeze over before she admitted that she’d dreamed about him spanking her to the precipice of an orgasm over her family’s kitchen table.

Her family’s table.

Dinner.

Shit!

Kasi jerked around, looking for her phone, then glanced toward the curtains. It was dark outside. “What time is it?” she asked.

Levi shrugged. “Maybe midnight.”

“Midnight!” Kasi shrieked, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. “I told you to wake me up. Where’s my phone?” She bent down, feeling around the floor for her clothes while struggling to keep herself covered by the sheet.

“I turned off the alarm and took it to the living room. I’ve got it on a charger out there.”

Kasi gave up the search for her clothes, whirling around to face him. “You had no right to do that.”

Levi leaned closer to her. “I had every right. You passed outagain,” he stressed the last word, “because you aren’t getting enough sleep and you aren’t eating. From this point on, I’m taking charge.”

She laughed, though there wasn’t a bit of happiness in it. “Bullshit.”

“Keep fighting me on this, Kasi, and I’ll flip you over and introduce you to those consequences I told you about, concussion or not.”

He’d mentioned those consequences just before she fell asleep earlier. No wonder he’d been the star of her dreams.

The rebellious part of her was tempted to push him, simply because she wanted what he was threatening.

So. Fucking. Bad.

But the practical side won out because, well…she’d gotten a lot of sleep, thanks to him, so her thoughts were crystal clear and not foggy with exhaustion for the first time in forever.

“I need to go home, Levi,” she said, striving for a calmer tone.

“No, you don’t.”

Kasi turned around again, trying and failing to find her clothes on the floor. Did Levi move them? “I have to get back. There are so many things I didn’t do. Things Ineedto do.”

---