Page 78 of Savage Cravings

“Is someone bothering you?”

I shook my head, not saying anything. His eyes roamed over my face, then down my body, almost as if he was searching for injuries. Something about that warmed my skin and softened me up—slightly.

What a dangerous line to walk. I couldn’t be soft, especially not for a man like Silas.

He would eat me alive.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

I hesitated. Then, slowly, I moved away from the door and opened it wider for him. I left enough room for him to pass, but he still managed to brush against me. I didn’t know if he did it on purpose or not.

I shut the door and locked it behind me, turning on the light as Silas looked around the small room, made that much smaller by his presence. And not just because he was so big, but because he had an aura about him.

It was as if he had sucked up all the energy in the room simply by walking into it.

I blinked, and he turned around. Making himself comfortable, he sat on the bed.

“Come sit with me, angel.”

I had been feeling so unsettled for the past couple of days, and it wasn’t until I heard him call meangelin that deep, addictive voice of his that I finally felt like I could breathe again.

I walked over to him and was about to sit down next to him on the bed when he grabbed me around my middle and pulled me to his lap.

I tensed for a fraction of a second before I relaxed into his warm body. My face settled in the crook of his neck, taking in his scent.

“Fuck, but I missed you,” he said, echoing the sentiment I had been unable to put into words, not even to myself.

Everything with him was just so brand new, and now I didn’t even know who I was when I was with him, and if that was a good thing or not.

His arms tightened around me, as if he was afraid to let me go.

“How’s my baby doing?” he asked. One hand came up and absent-mindedly played with my long hair.

I opened my mouth to tell him I was good. That wasn’t what came out. “Where were you?”

I tensed, and he tensed. I wasn’t even sure why I had asked that. It wasn’t like he owed me anything. Fuck.

I closed my eyes. “That was a stupid question. Don’t answer me.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s stupid. Just… unexpected. I haven’t really had to explain myself to anyone, not even my brothers.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” I said quickly.

He pulled me closer to him. I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent.

“Yes, I do. I should have told you I was needed elsewhere. You need to give me your number, baby.”

“Hmm,” was all I said, not trusting my own voice. That would be nice. And if I ever needed to leave New Orleans quickly, Iwouldn’t be leaving without saying a word. That sounded good. Yet my entire being seemed to cave into itself at the thought of leaving. I was starting to wonder if I could leave him behind without it breaking me somehow.

I shook the thought away.

“Silas?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you staying the night?”

I felt him press his lips on the top of my head. “Do you want me to stay?”