Page 30 of Shiver

She straightened the covers over her lap, refusing to meet his gaze.

“Let me help you.”

She looked up, her blue eyes locking on his. She wanted to tell him, wanted his help, he could read that need clearly on her face. If only she’d open up.

“I’m sure it was only a bad dream.”

“And if it wasn’t only a dream? If it was like the… others?” he asked, searching for a way to describe the pages describing Michelle’s death.

For a moment she was silent, then released a reluctant sigh. “I dreamed someone was in the house, in this room watching me sleep.” She brought her fingers to her cheek. “He touched me and said…something.” Her scared gaze caught his. “I can’t remember.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “Then what happened?”

“He had a small flashlight.” She looked around the room. “He shined the light on Felix and scared him out of the room. “Felix,” she called.

“He must have gone out when I came in,” Riley said. “What then?”

“He went to your room.” She hesitated. “He watched you sleeping.” She looked up at him, a slight tinge coloring her cheeks.

She’d been dreaming about him. He felt a smile lift the corners of his mouth and wondered exactly what his role in her dream had been.

“When I saw the knife, I woke up screaming. He was going to kill you, I know it.”

Riley’s smile dropped. “You don’t sleepwalk, do you?”

“Not that I know of.” She looked grim. “I’m sorry,” she repeated.

“How about some water?”

She nodded. “That would be great, thanks.”

Riley walked into the kitchen trying to determine what it was about her story that was nagging at him, or better yet, what about her story didn’t bother him. Felix was sitting in front of the French doors staring into the night. Riley stood behind him, trying to pinpoint what had the cat so captivated, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

He turned the bolt on the door, locking it. “Come on, big guy.” He picked up Felix, grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge, and returned to Devra’s room.

“Felix,” she called and reached for the cat. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I think he wanted out, but it isn’t safe for cats out there at night. Are you going to be okay?”

She nodded, offering him another sleepy smile.

“Then go back to sleep and no more dreams,” he ordered. He shut her door and was back in bed and halfway to sleep before he realized what had been nagging him. He didn’t let Felix out of her room.

Her door had already been open when he’d arrived.

Chapter 12

Riley’s handsstroked her hair. His index finger blazed a trail across her lips, down the column of her neck to rest in the hollow of her throat. He was looking at her, those rich brown eyes boring a hole straight through her and awakening sensations that had been dormant for most of her life.

Then he kissed her.

It was warm, lingering, soft.

He touched her.

As she’d never been touched before.

He whispered her name. “Devra.”

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