Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
That was how Nate usually preferred things—he liked being the big spoon—but he found himself intrigued. There was something about Lan’ara—he felt drawn to her—and not just because she was beautiful and smelled amazing. There was something about her that called to something deep inside him—some part of him that was buried perhaps.
“Well…all right,” he said at last, shrugging uncomfortably. “Uh…how do you want to, um, hold me?”
“Like this.” Lying back against the round, bolster-like pillows, she beckoned for him. “Come here. Put your head here.” She put a hand on her chest, right between her breasts. She was wearing another long white gown—this time made out of some thin, silky material which clearly showed the sharp points of her nipples. She was a tempting sight but Nate knew she was only trying to be comforting.
He cleared his throat, frowning.
“Uh…you sure?”
“Of course. Come here.” She beckoned for him again and this time he complied. Lying on his side, he rested his head carefully where she’d indicated. Her breasts were soft and full and her warm, feminine scent filled his senses.
He wasn’t quite sure what to do with his arms and hands, but Lan’ara reached down and took his right arm and placed it firmly around the curve of her waist.
“Hold on to me as I hold you,” she directed. “Get closer—I want you as close as you can get.”
Obligingly, Nate snuggled closer, pressing his hard, muscular body against her small, curvy one. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laid in bed with a woman, just cuddling like this. If he had done it at all, it must have been before the war with the Scourge started. He hadn’t dated anyone in the past five years—he hadn’t had time what with trying to defend the Earth from the fucking invaders.
“Good…” Lan’ara ran cool, soothing fingers through his hair and massaged the nape of his neck, easing some of the tension there.
“God…” Nate groaned appreciatively. “Feels fucking amazing.”
“And are you feeling calmer?” Lan’ara asked.
He looked up.
“Yeah, you know, I am. Usually when I have that dream, I have to get up and run a mile or do sit-ups or push-ups or something—anything—to push it out of my mind. But you…you made it go away. Or at least, the bad feelings that went with it. How did you do that?”
“You let me share your burden,” she said simply, stroking his hair again. “Do you think you can sleep again? We still have a few hours before dawn.”
“I think so.” It was a new experience for him, feeling so calm after the dream. Usually it fucked with his head for hours, if not days. But now, he could already feel his breathing slowing and his heartbeat growing calmer. How had Lan’ara done that for him?
He decided to worry about it later. For now, her full breasts were the softest, sweetest pillow he’d ever pressed his face to and the feeling of her slim, cool fingers carding through his hair and massaging his neck was incredibly soothing.
“Sleep a little longer, my love,” Lan’ara murmured. “I will hold the nightmares at bay.”
And for a wonder, Nate believed her. With a deep sigh, he let his eyes close and pulled Lan’ara a little closer. She felt so good in his arms. She was still a stranger to him and yet…she felt familiar too. Did that make any sense?
Nate decided to worry about it later. He slipped back into sleep and this time he had no dreams.
EIGHTEEN
LAN’ARA
Lan’ara held her human and stroked his hair, listening as his emotions gradually quieted. Her heart ached for him! Nate had so much pain and darkness inside him—she’d caught glimpses of the things he’d seen and been forced to do while they were Dream-sharing and often what she saw horrified her.
But his heart was good. He was just damaged…wounded. She wanted badly to be the one to heal him. As his fated mate, she was perhaps the only one who could. His wounds went so deep though—healing him was going to be a long, tiring job.
She was glad he’d been able to calm down enough to go back to sleep. Taking the pain from that awful memory, which had been masquerading as a dream, had taken most of her strength. She needed to stay here, lying down for a while to recover.
Nate murmured something in his sleep and shifted his head against her breasts. Lan’ara winced at the pressure she felt in them. She wanted to deny it, but there was no doubt they were bigger and fuller than they had been even a day ago. And her nipples were so sensitive—almost as though they were aching to be sucked.
Were her breasts filling with the Healing Nectar? Lan’ara was afraid they might be. Nate’s pain went so deep, it seemed her body was reacting as though he was in a life-threatening situation.