Page 30 of Bewitched

CHAPTER TWELVE

Sunday Morning

A sharp scream filled the air, and Blake jackknifed up. Instinctively, he reached for his weapon and realized he didn’t have one. He was naked in bed and Paige was in the throes of a nightmare. He flipped the light on, then lifted her into his lap. “Paige, you’re okay. You’re home, honey, and I’ve got you.” The shrieks continued as her arms moved around him. “Open your eyes and see that you’re safe.” He tightened his hold and ran kisses along her cheek. “Paige, I’m here and I’ve got you.”

Slowly, her limbs started to quiet and she stopped screaming. Breathing heavily, she collapsed against him. Resting his head against hers, he kissed her hair gently. “That was a good one.”

Breathing heavily, she relaxed against him. “They were shoving guns in my face and hitting me. I couldn’t get away. Then there was an explosion and I was surrounded by fire,” she said quietly. “Same damn dream.” Burying her face in his chest, she kissed his skin. “Why can’t I stop?”

“You’re experiencing PTSD. It’s no wonder, considering what you experienced in Sakib.” He moved a hand to her back and cradled her head with the other. This told her body and, he hoped, her mind that she was safe.

“I go two or three days without a nightmare and then, bang, they return.”

“That’s fairly typical. Have you spoken to anyone about what happened in Jordan?”

“No. I didn’t want my family to worry, and I just hoped the dreams would eventually go away.”

“That’s not how PTSD works, Paige. You’ve got to see someone and get the tools to work through it. You don’t have to live with it. There is a way through it.”

Lifting her head away from his chest, she looked up, and what he saw broke his heart. There was a ton of sadness in her beautiful blue eyes that he wanted to vanquish. “You have to deal with it, honey. Otherwise, it gets worse and burrows into your soul.”

“I know. Seems that avoidance is all I’ve managed to do since I got home. I went from a woman who was practically fearless to one who doesn’t want to face a thing.”

Pressing his mouth to hers, he tasted her sweet flavor. When she kissed him back, he smiled against her mouth. “I know a thing or two about traumatic experiences and how to deal with them. Let’s get the help you need.”

“Thank you. I’ve always been able to handle things, and lately, that doesn’t seem to be happening.”

“Paige, you were kidnapped by terrorists. That’s not something you handle. Also, you left a career that’s been the focus of your life for the last several years, and oh—by the way—you’re pregnant. Most people have a hard time dealing with the end of a career. Add to that an unplanned pregnancy and it’s no wonder you’re having some struggles.”

“My mama did not raise me to crumple. I’m a smart, resourceful woman and I need to be strong.”

“I’ve seen that kind of thinking cause more problems than I can count.” He grabbed their pillows and pushed them against the headboard. Scooting back, he kept her in his arms and laid back. “I’ve been trained to be one of the most lethal warriors on the planet, and the only way to do my job is to go in believing success is the only option. That requires me to pack away any emotions not serving that mindset, which is something I’ve learned to do quite well. The problem is, once emotions and feelings get packed away, they don’t like to be unpacked. All those neat compartments like to stay undisturbed. Strong, resolute, impenetrable…that’s what helps me survive in battle. It doesn’t do a hell of a lot for me in life. So, my point is that no matter how strong you are, you’re going to come up against things that knock you on your ass. Real strength, real intelligence is allowing yourself to ask for help when that happens.”

He rubbed his hand over her stomach and smiled. “This little girl is going to need the best version of you, and you owe it to her to face the monsters roaring in your head.”

“Thank you, Blake. Of course, you’re right.”

“Good thing an old sailor knocked you up. I have some experience with tough memories, and I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

When her arms tightened around his chest, he felt a settling wash over his body. The last twenty-four hours had flipped him upside down, but lying here with Paige made it seem like they were going to figure everything out.

“You’re already proving to be a good father…by making sure Mama doesn’t go nuts.”

He lifted her on top of his body and made sure that they were lined up properly. “I know something else that will help Mama.” Moving her legs, he made sure she was completely open, and he poised at her entrance. “A little physical therapy is as good a start as any.” One thrust and he seated himself against her core. He watched as she sat up and wiggled around. “How are you doing?”

“Hard to describe.” Placing her hands against his chest, she braced herself as she slowly lifted herself off and then slid back down. “I guess the best way to describe it is…amazingly perfect.”

“Ride me, honey. You set the pace and show me what makes you feel good.”

Her answer was a kiss and then the best torture of his life. Watching her move up and down his length as she found her pleasure was one of the top ten experiences of his life. Her full breasts bounced as she moved, taking him in her body. “That’s it, Paige. Take me as deep as you can.”

The sounds coming from her were making control difficult. Moans and laughter had him gritting his teeth as he fought against his desire to pound himself into her body.

When she stilled above him and started chanting his name, he slid his finger between their bodies and pressed her clit. That sent her crashing over. As she began milking him, he answered with three long thrusts and exploded.

She collapsed against him. He held her tightly with his face buried in her hair. Streaks of electricity flooded his body as he emptied himself until nothing was left. It had taken him sixteen weeks to find his way back to where he belonged…buried deep inside the woman who had bewitched him from the start.

With the last of his strength, he managed to flick off the light and pull up the sheets. “That will fix what ails us.” The only thing he heard from Paige was her soft, even breathing. Lifting his head, he saw a smile on her face. Taking care of her was going to be easier than he’d thought.

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