Page 33 of Savage

“If I did something as stupid as hurt you, or any woman, hell yes. Just like I’d do the same to them. But the key here is I know it won’t happen because I won’t hurt you, not on purpose. Okay, babe?” He cupped her cheek, his touch almost feather light and waited.

Donna struggled to maintain the eye contact he’d started with. She knew he was doing it for a reason, even if it was really hard for her. Hopefully, someday she’d get past this.

“Okay.” The word was a little more than a whisper, but she managed to get it out.

“Second, with very few exceptions, I will never tell you something that isn’t true.”

Before she had a chance to speak, to ask him what he might say to her that wasn’t true, he moved his thumb over her lips, keeping her from speaking.

“I will do my absolute best not to have to lie to you. But there are things in my life and more in my past that I cannot talk about. Not with anyone. That’s for your safety as well as others. If you ask me something I can’t talk about, or won’t for some reason or another, I’ll tell you that. Or if you like we can come up with some code phrase that means that subject is off limits, but no one around us knows what we mean.”

She scowled, not sure what he meant.

“You need an example?” He seemed to read her mind, or maybe it was her expression. “From some of the talking we’ve done over the last couple of days I know you’re an 80s movie fan. How about if you ask something I can’t answer I say something like ‘your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash.’ Or ‘talk to me, Goose’.”

Donna couldn’t help the giggle that escaped as she recognized the movie lines and where they came from. “People would think we’ve lost our minds.”

“Who cares? We’re not talking for other people. We’re talking about things between you and me. And it’s what we know that matters.”

“I’m not sure.”

“Think about it this way. We’re out with a group of friends, conversation turns to something, I don’t know what, and you ask a question I can’t answer, whether at all or where we are at the moment. And there will be things I can tell you but have to be careful about who is around, but either way for this example I can’t say it when and where we are. Instead of saying I can’t talk about it or later, both of which could have people asking more questions than the original one. If I just say something like ‘talk to me, Goose,” or whatever phrase we come up with, then you know, without everyone else knowing and now asking more questions. Okay?”

She nodded, unable to stop the soft smile that started to curve her lip.

“Third. As for your clothes. If you want to take them off, then I won’t stop you, but I know you’re not entirely comfortable with things like that. I didn’t want to make you more nervous. Besides, after you told me you’d never come before, I kind of wanted to show you different ways I can make you come. I wanted to get you to scream my name. It would only be sweeter if I could do it with all your clothes on. If you’re good without them, I can make you scream even faster.”

He leaned in and slid his thumb off her lips just as he covered them with his mouth. He teased, licked and nipped at her lips before coaxing them open and delving inside. Donna soon lost herself in his taste. His every touch sent her mind spiraling out of control.

Savege broke the kiss, but Donna had no idea how long it had been. Her eyes drifted shut as he trailed his mouth along her skin to her ear where he spoke so softly, even someone in the tent with them wouldn’t have heard him.

“You taste like heaven. And what I’ve felt of you so far is even better. I love the way you respond to me.” He shifted so his hips pressed against her again. “Never doubt my reaction to you. You make it hard to control myself. But I will. To make it as good as I can for you.” His lips slid down along the line of her neck, sending a shiver through her. Heat pooled low in her belly. His hands once more started to slide down her body, teasing and enflaming her senses. “If you want to take your shirt off, I won’t stop you. But if you’re not comfortable with that, I’m good with that too.”

Donna’s hands went to the hem of her shirt, then she glanced up.

“But the light?”

“I like the light, babe. I plan on having my mouth on every inch of your body, sooner or later. Why can’t I see what I’m going to be tasting?”

Her entire body heated at that, and Donna wasn’t sure if it was a blush or need as he lowered his head to her shoulder then moved down her body once more. When his lips closed around her nipple, over the top of her t-shirt, she almost came out of the sleeping bag. She’d never felt anything like that.

This man was a wonder, and he said there was more? She didn’t know if she could survive more, but oh what a way to die.

27

RestlessmovementsjarredSavagefrom a deep sleep. He blinked, wondering where he was for just a moment before the movements came again and he realized it was Donna. She lay curled up, her back to him, and seemed to be curled in on herself, flinching every few seconds.

It wasn’t until she whimpered that he realized what must be going on. She was dreaming and it obviously wasn’t anything pleasant. He knew better than to shake her awake. He’d done that to Maverick one day and barely missed getting a fist to the face. Remembering that, it only took a moment for him to decide what to do.

He rolled onto his side and curled around her, enclosing her with his body and his arms. After a moment or two she seemed to calm. Her breathing eased back into a soft, steady rhythm that eased him back to sleep.

Whenhewokeagain,Savage found he was still curled around Donna. She’d moved and relaxed. Now her head rested on one of his arms and she’d woven her fingers into the ones on his other hand. He couldn’t help but wonder if she’d woken at some point. Not that it mattered. He lay there for a few minutes, wondering what she would have thought when she woke up to find him wrapped around her.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt anything quite like waking with Donna in his arms like this. As he took it in, he placed a gentle kiss on top of her head and decided he wouldn’t mind waking like this every day, but a decent bed would be nice. The mat beneath them made it a little better but the ground was still hard. He wondered how she must be feeling when she woke. She wasn’t any more used to sleeping on the ground than he was, at least not anymore.

Once upon a time he could have slept anywhere, and been grateful for a chance to get more than a couple hours in a stretch, and he could still sleep at the drop of hat if he needed to. But it was harder than it used to be, and he couldn’t imagine that getting better as he got older.

Donna’s breathing changed, letting him know she’d woken up.

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