unmentioned
To stop her scream, she covered her mouth. Too late, she knew. There was no telling how many screams escaped while she was asleep.
"It's okay. I have you."
"Mel." She whispered as she held tight to him.
"Will be fine. It's okay, baby."
To keep from having to address her tears, she ducked her face into his chest. The trembling and the heavy breathing couldn't be hidden.
"I'm here." Julian soothed her with his voice, with his tender caress.
"I know. I always know."
She knew he wanted to talk to her about the dreams, but he wouldn't ask. He knew how stubborn she could be, and he knew enough. He didn't need to know everything. It wouldn't help for him to know.
She's had a whole slew of Syrians wanting to catalogue her experiences while held captive. While months away from her mate, but none of them needed to know.
"I'm okay. I'm sorry____."
"Finish that sentence and I just might spank your ass."
Was it any wonder that she loved him so dearly? "I bet that could take my mind off things. Do I need to invest in my own cheerleading outfit?"
He kissed her shoulder and held her tighter.
Kell slipped away as quietly as he came. Third night in a row. She pretended he wasn't there, and he never made his presence known, but she was beginning to suspect that Julian knew he was there too.
She could address how that was freaking stalking, and he had no right, but she wouldn't. Not yet. As much as she hated it, it helped.
"I had a few nightmares myself when I found out we are babysitting the hellion today."
"Tell me about it. I think my aunt has made up how much work she has this weekend just so she can get away. Little dude has no mercy."
"True, but he's a cute little sucker, isn't he?"
"I swear I've never seen a better-looking baby in my life." She smiled. "All I want to do is kiss those cute chubby cheeks."
"If you refrained maybe, he wouldn't hate you so much."
"He can get over it. It's not like you're any better."
"He and I have an understanding. He stops trying to headbutt me, and I'll lay off the kisses. I swear he nearly broke my nose."
"You don't have enough will power and the one person he dislikes more than me, is you."
"Just for that, you get all the abnormal stinky diapers. What comes out of him is not standard. None of the other ones smelled like him."
"It's all that alien mush he likes so much. That right there tells you there's something wrong with the kid." She knew Julian wouldn't hold to his threat. There wasn't much that he wouldn't do for her. Even that.
She kissed his chest.
It still amazed her how lucky she was to have him. It amazed her he'd gone from that gangly boy who was all arms and legs to the boy he was now. Strong. Smart. Loyal.
He caught her chin. His big brown eyes held all the warmth and tenderness in the world. He watched a tear run down her cheek, but he didn't say anything. He didn't have to.
His lips caught the tear, then he kissed her. First softly, then even softer. His lips stayed on hers, parted just a little, and his heart picking up tempo. She kissed him. His hands cupped her face as he breathed out a sigh, and he pressed himself closer to her.
Then the pain started. Like a seed in the pit of her stomach. Small, but growing fast.
When he would have pulled away, her mouth followed his. She needed his mouth on hers. She needed to feel alive and connected to something.
He always gave her what she wanted. He deepened the kiss and pulled her on top of him. The pain grew, but so did the desire. The feel of his lips on her throat, the feel of his heart hammering with hers, was worth the pain.
His hand slipped under her shirt and it was like a red-hot rod across her gut. That was something she never wanted to feel again. They parted quickly. Him sitting up on the other side of the bed dragging in air, and her to her side of the bed.
She growled and hit the bed. "You did this to me. Fix it."
Kellum's eyes held all the pain hers held. With a bow of his head, he disappeared.
