Safe with Me
I drag my fingers down his cheek and smile up at him. “Thank you.”
“For what?” He asks with a frown.
“For tonight. I know you were miserable, but you were there because I wanted to be there. Thank you for that.”
He shakes his head slightly and offers me a half smile, his sexy dimples flash and he whispers, “I think I would do just about anything for you.”
“You haven’t been yourself since the gym yesterday,” I whisper, enjoying the dark and the quiet with him. “Wanna talk about it?”
He sighs and settles next to me, watching our hands link and unlink and finally, he whispers, “I was worried about tonight.”
I stay quiet, just watching his face while he thinks and slowly relaxes, the muscles in his hard body finally releasing.
“I was afraid that one of two things, or both things, would happen. Either I’d have a panic attack in the middle of the concert or the whole damn experience tonight would trigger nightmares tonight, and I’m so fucking afraid of hurting you again.” His voice is no louder than a whisper.
I climb over him and wrap myself around him, clenching my arms and legs around him and burying my face in his neck.
“I’m right here, Caleb Montgomery, and the nightmares aren’t. Besides,” I murmur and raise my hips, allowing him to slide inside me again. “You don’t have nightmares when you’re with me, and I’m not done making love to you.”
“Is that so?” He asks with a soft grin and reverses our positions, tucking me under him. He begins to move slowly, braced on his elbows, staring down at me with bright blue eyes. He nuzzles my nose with his own and sighs softly as he slowly makes love to me.
“That’s so,” I confirm and moan when he shifts his hips to brush the tip of his cock over my G-spot. “I also plan to sleep naked tonight.”
“Best plan you’ve had all day, sweetheart,” he mutters.
Chapter Fifteen
Caleb’s phone is ringing. I’m flat on my back and he’s wrapped around me, clinging to me and breathing slow and steady, in a seemingly dreamless sleep.
Brynna – 1, Nightmares – 0.
“Caleb,” I nudge his shoulder and try to reach his phone, but it’s too far away. “Caleb, your phone.”
He rubs his face against my breast and then looks up at me with sleep eyes. “Huh?”
“Your phone is ringing, babe.”
He reaches for it and presses it to his ear, instantly awake and alert. “Montgomery.”
A man on the other end is speaking. Caleb moves from the bed, naked as the day he was born, and I prop my head on my hand to watch him pace beside the bed.
“Just tell me what’s going on,” he barks, but the line goes dead. “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?” I ask and sit up, glancing over at the clock. It’s six in the morning.
“Matt’s on his way over. We need to get dressed.”
“What’s going on?” I ask and move from the bed, only to be caught up in Caleb’s arms and pulled against him.
“He wouldn’t say. He’ll be here in a few.” He hugs me close and buries his face in my hair, breathing deeply. “You smell amazing.”
I chuckle and kiss his chest before stepping away to pull on some clothes. Just as I pull my sweater over my head, there is a loud bang bang bang on the front door.
“That was fast,” I mutter with a smile.
“He was already on his way when he called.” Caleb pulls his jeans over his hips, grabs a shirt and flashes a grin at me before he turns and leaves the room. “Have I ever told you how fantastic you look first thing in the morning?”
“Uh, no.”
“Well you do.” He looks me up and down and then leaves me here in my bedroom, staring at the empty doorway.
I hear him answer the door and let Matt in, and I rush to pull on yoga pants and tie my hair up on top of my head. When I descend the stairs, Matt and Caleb are standing in the living room, Caleb with his arms folded over his massive chest, and Matt with his hands propped on his hips, both of them scowling.
“What’s up, guys?” I ask. “And why are you in your scary cop attire?” I ask Matt, gesturing to his gun and badge.
“I’m on my way to work,” he responds with a sigh. “Look, I got a call this morning from Chicago.”
Every hair on my body stands on end and I automatically reach for Caleb’s hand.
“Apparently, Will Montgomery getting engaged during a Nash concert is big news, and it has been splashed all over the morning news shows.”
“So?” I ask and frown. “What’s the big deal?”
“It wouldn’t be, except several of the shots from last night include photos and video of the family, Brynna.” He sighs and clenches his jaw, his eyes worried and trained on me as the implications of what he’s said sinks in.
“I was in those pictures,” I whisper and sit on the couch behind me. Caleb curses under his breath and sits next to me, drapes his arm around me and pulls me to his side.
“You were,” Matt confirms. “One of the guys with Chicago PD called me this morning. We don’t know that anyone else would notice, but it’s only a matter of days before it hits national magazines as well, and it’ll be all over the evening news tonight.”
“Why did he have to propose like that?” Caleb asks softly and kisses my shoulder.
“He didn’t know,” I whisper and for the first time in more than a year, I regret my decision to keep the rest of the family in the dark. “He didn’t know because I wouldn’t let you guys tell them.”
“We have to tell them now,” Matt murmurs.
“I know.” I nod and straighten my spine. “Today.”
“I have to work a shift today,” Matt says as he checks his watch and winces. “But let’s have the family over here this evening and we’ll talk to everyone, fill everyone in, and figure out where to go from there. I’ll make some more calls today and keep an eye on the media. My contact in Chicago was going to try to contact one of the undercover guys to see what they know, but it can take a few days to hear back.”
“Can your parents keep the girls one more night?” Caleb asks me. “I’d rather they weren’t here when we talk with our families.”
“Yeah,” I nod. “I’m sure that’s not a problem. I’d like to go spend time with them today, though.” I swallow and glance up at Matt who nods and smiles reassuringly.