Page 26 of Robert

She had avoided him as best as she could, just going into the kitchen to grab some lunch. She had ventured into the living room where he was still seated on the sofa, poring over documents and asked if he wanted to eat and had only received a grunt for her effort.

Well, she had tried. She had retreated inside her bedroom and slammed the door. If he was going to be that way, then to hell with him.

To make matters even worse, the rain had not let up for the entire day, which had left her feeling trapped and restless. There was no internet service and no cable, except for the basics. She tried to read but could not concentrate.

They barely spoke at dinner and the few times she tried to engage him; his responses had been brief and unencouraging.

Which had led her to quit while she was ahead. His expression was grim and forbidding, discouraging any further attempts at being cordial. She had no idea how they were going to make it through the next five days. It could not come soon enough.

“I will clean up,” she said when he scraped back his chair and rose.

“Good.” With a grunt, he strode from the kitchen without a backward look.

“Great.” She huffed out a breath and pushed away her plate of half-eaten beef stew which was very good. She was not the only one who had not done justice to the meal. He had left most of his on the plate.

Pushing back her chair, she set about doing the tidying up.

*****

At first, she thought it was something out of her subconscious or that she was hearing things. Her eyes flickered open, and she stared around the shadowed room in confusion, trying to identify what had seeped into her slumber.

She was about to close her eyes and try and go back to sleep when she heard it again. A shout. More like a feral growl. It sounded very much like an animal in pain, and she eased up quickly on the pillows, her heart pounding.

When it happened again, she realized it was inside the house and was more human than animal. Shoving the sheets off her, she swung her legs off the bed and without thinking, shoved the door open and raced into his room.

When she rushed over to the bed, it was to discover him thrashing restlessly. Sitting on the edge, she tried to shake him awake and when that did not accomplish it, she took his shoulders in a strong grip with the intention of shaking him some more.

His hands came up in defense when he felt her hands on him. Striking out blindly, he shoved her away with enough force topush her off the bed. But even then, he was still thrashing around and shouting.

Getting to her feet, she approached the bed again and this time straddling his stomach. Lifting her hand, she slapped him sharply across one cheek and then the other. That did the trick. Rearing up, he gazed at her, eyes feverish, his body coated in sweat.

“What the hell!”

“You had a nightmare,” she told him calmly, feeling her heartbeat slowing down.

“I am sorry.” Flopping back against the pillows, he closed his eyes briefly. “Did I wake you? Of course, I did. I apologize.”

“Would you like a glass of water?” She was sitting on his stomach, but neither of them was aware of it nor the fact that he was naked as a jaybird.

“No. I am fine.”

“You are sweating.”

“I am fine!” He snapped. “Christ! I am sorry.” His hands came up to grip her shoulders. “I haven’t had one in a very long time.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I can’t.” His hands were automatically drifting up and down her bare arms. “Thanks for trying to help.”

“You sounded like an animal in pain.” She peered at him anxiously.

“It was vicious.” He admitted. His hands drifted to her neck where he started to knead the muscles. “It felt as if I was drowning.” His thumbs pressed into the hollow of her throat,where the pulse was skidding. “Thanks again.” He murmured, his voice slightly hoarse.

“You’re welcome. I should…” She shifted her bottom slightly and went still, dark eyes rounding as they flew to his face.

“I…, er…,” he closed his eyes again and then opened them to stare at her. “I always sleep in the nude. It’s a habit! Oh Christ!” He groaned. “You should…” Before he could get to the end of the sentence, she was draping herself over him and pressing her mouth to his.

Years of bottling up his feelings, of simply trying to ignore them and move on, was too much. At the first touch of her lips, his tenuous control shattered. He had spent the past two days alienating her so that she would stay the hell away from him. But now that she was here, on top of him, her slender curves pressed against his, was too much for him.

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