Nonstop (Open Skies #3) - Becca Jameson Page 0,25

were bearing down on her like heavy weights.

Finally, she shuffled across the room and climbed onto the bed. She curled up on her side as he drew the covers over her, and then he spooned her from behind on top of the covers. He held her tight, kissing the top of her head. “Sleep, baby. I’ll be right here. If you have a nightmare, I’ll catch you.”

He would catch her? Was that even possible?

Another tear slid down her cheek, and she ignored it. She took a deep breath and then another. It felt so good to have him at her back, his arm around her. She felt cocooned. She felt safe. She closed her eyes and drifted off.

Chapter 10

Bracken breathed shallowly until he was certain Bex was sound asleep. Finally, he drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was in worse shape than he’d suspected. She clearly hadn’t slept and she needed a friend. He could be that for her. He would because he had no choice. He was falling hard for this woman and all the baggage she carried made no difference to him.

He was intelligent enough to know something truly awful had happened to her. He was also sharp enough to realize it didn’t have anything to do with the madman on the plane. That incident triggered something else she had buried deep. Did her counselor know about this? Fuck, did anyone?

Her breathing evened out, and he relaxed slowly next to her. He didn’t care that she hadn’t spoken a word about the other night or about their future. He felt like he’d won a huge victory simply by convincing her to let him stay and then agreeing to sleep in his arms.

As long as she gave him one small thing at a time, she would eventually trust him enough to share. Maybe not everything right away, but some of it. He needed to be patient. She was very private. Reserved. She had skeletons that she wanted to keep inside her closet.

Bracken hadn’t slept either, so it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep next to her, though he was careful to remain partly lucid at all times. He’d learned to do that in combat situations. He could still draw on it when he needed to. Now was one of those times. He wanted to be sharp in an instant if she woke up in a panic.

She didn’t though. She slept soundly without moving. In fact, the next time he opened his eyes, it was almost dark and she was staring at him. Somehow she had managed to turn over in her sleep. She faced him, chewing on her bottom lip.

He smiled at her. “Please tell me you slept.”

“Longer than I have in years. Thank you.”

“Good.” He stroked her cheek, brushing hair from her face. “Do you feel better?”

She shrugged. “For now.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

“I’m not sure. I ate a few things yesterday.”

“Then I need to feed you.”

“Not yet. Please. I just want to lie here.” Her gaze roamed his face.

“Okay.” He slid his hand down to her back.

“I’m sorry I didn’t respond to your calls and texts. I didn’t know what to say. I just wanted to escape.”

“I know. It’s okay. But you have to know that I’m not going to let you go without a fight. I like you. A lot. I was worried.”

She licked her lips, her gaze roaming his face. “Thank you. I’m not…easy.”

He chuckled. “Easy is overrated.”

She smiled and that was all he needed. When she sobered, she continued. “This isn’t about the asshole on the plane, Bracken.”

“I know.”

She sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” It wasn’t okay, but it would have to be for now. His only goal was to earn her trust and make her see that he was a good guy.

“I don’t deserve you.”

He smiled. “Sure you do. Everyone deserves to find someone to be happy with.”

“I’m not sure they do. Some of us weren’t meant to be happy. Not really. Not permanently.”

“That’s not true. You deserve happiness just like everyone else.” God, what the hell happened to her? His mind wandered to several possibilities. She spoke as if she’d been involved in an accidental death. Maybe she hit someone with her car or accidentally shot a toddler with a loaded weapon or gave her friend drugs that were inadvertently laced with something fatal. Maybe that person was Jenny. He hoped she wasn’t carrying around quite that much weight, but