Page 30 of Dallas
“You have me now, baby.” I squeeze her hand. “You will always have me. You will also have Ryder, Claire, Tiago, Reagan, and everyone else who shows up to join our family.”
“I miss that part of life…” she murmurs almost too softly to hear.
“What part, baby?” I encourage, hoping she will provide me with more details.
She faces the window, muttering almost to herself. “Family. Being surrounded by people. Laughter. Joking. Happiness. Even sadness. Knowing someone will be there and have your back.”
I listen closely to every word. What the fuck happened to my girl? I don’t ask. I let her sit silently with her thoughts. She sniffles every once in a while.
Chapter 12
Dallas
* * *
When we get home, I guide her into the house through the kitchen because that’s what we always do. We’ve barely been in the front of the mansion. “Wait here a minute, baby,” I tell her before opening a drawer in the kitchen to pull out a pad of paper so I can leave a note on the counter for Gretchen, letting her know that Arianna is in the house and to expect her for breakfast.
When I’m done, I lead my numb girl up the stairs and down the hallway to our room. I shut and lock the door quietly. It’s late. I don’t want to wake Claire by slamming a door.
I lead Arianna to the bed and pull the sweatshirt over her head before lifting her to sit on the edge so I can remove her sandals.
It’s damn near impossible to ignore how fucking sexy she is in her pink nightie. I need to get her under the covers as fast as possible so I can stop staring at her full breasts. The material is sheer. I can see the rosy tips of her nipples and areolas.
I had those nipples in my mouth a few hours ago, and I’d like to suckle them again, but I won’t now. She’s exhausted. She’s also worried. Her brow is furrowed. She needs sleep. Things won’t look so dire in the morning. At least, I hope they won’t.
Patting the center of the bed, I say, “Crawl in, baby.”
She stares at me and seems to snap out of her daze. “You’re going to sleep with me?”
I kiss her forehead. “Yes, baby. Keyword: sleep.”
Her face changes entirely. The worry lines disappear as she tosses me an adorable smirk. Normally, I’m the smirker in our relationship. But my sassy girl is turning the tables on me.
She crawls to the other side of the bed, sliding under the covers and pulling them to her neck when she’s situated.
I pull off all my clothes except my briefs, turn off the lamp, and climb in next to her. Her location so far away is not going to work for me. Not at all. Odd, since I’ve never been the sort to touch someone while I’m sleeping. I never touched my ex-wife when we were asleep. I preferred some distance when actually trying to sleep.
But not with Arianna. She’s going to sleep cocooned in my arms for the rest of our lives. I reach for her and haul her to the center of the bed before tucking my arm under her neck and clasping one of her hands between her breasts.
I kiss her temple. “Sleep, baby.”
She sighs. “You’re putting a crimp in my new style.”
I nuzzle her neck. “How’s that, baby?”
“Usually, about now is when I would make myself come. I’ve done so every night since I met you. How am I going to do so with you next to me?”
I chuckle. My entire body shakes. “Even after I threatened to plug your naughty bottom? You were still going to masturbate?”
She shrugs in my arms. “Without a doubt. At least twice. Tonight and before I got up in the morning.”
What a naughty temptress. I thought my warning would have been sufficient. Her boldness makes my cock lurch against her bottom. “Have you always masturbated at night and again in the morning?”
She giggles. “Nope.”
Strange response. “How long have you been doing so?”
“Eight days.”
