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The thought of walking away from this man.
I pull away and look up at him, cherishing the way his eyes crinkle at me as he smiles. It’s a secret, kind smile. One that I only see when he’s looking at me. “I’m okay. Just really tired.”
He nods and lets me escape from his arms. I lay down and pull the blanket over me. “I think I’ll sleep in here tonight.” I force the words out quickly before I can say what I really want to say—take me to your bed and make me forget all my problems.
Ben narrows his eyes at me. “You sure you’re not going to be too scared to sleep alone? I mean, that movie was pretty scary.”
I laugh. “It was not.”
“I was terrified,” Ben says, and I laugh again, rolling my eyes. “Terrified that people like that are allowed to have children. I mean, those parents could have prevented that whole massacre if they had listened to a single word coming out of their children’s mouths. They should have been put in jail for child neglect and endangerment.”
I smile up at him, my worries momentarily forgotten as I enjoy this perfect moment. “Spoken like an old man.”
Ben shrugs. “I call it like I see it.”
“You’re not worried that a phantom serial killer is going to haunt your dreams when you fall asleep?” I ask, not being serious, but wanting to keep him here longer.
He shakes his head. “I’m more worried that the cold place beside me in bed is going to haunt me.”
Oh, if he only knew the terrible foreshadowing he just added to the tragic story of us.
“It’s just one night,” I say.
Ben growls a bit and bares his teeth. “One night I could have with you.”
“And what are you going to do if I say no and stay in my own bed?”
He raises his eyebrows, considering me. “I guess you’ll just have to find out.” He tucks the blankets around me comically tight, and I wiggle to free myself. “You could just come with me now and save yourself the trouble.”
I would, I really would. But there’s the issue of the bloody mess I have waiting between my legs. I shake my head defiantly.
“Okay,” he says, getting to his feet and crossing his arms over his chest. “But don’t blame me if you don’t like the consequences of this decision.”
I don’t like any of the consequences that I know will arise from my terrible, terrible decisions, but I say nothing.
“Sleep tight,” he says ominously, switching off the light and closing the door behind him.
Chapter Nineteen
Victoria
Iwake with a start when someone clamps a hand over my mouth. There’s another hand on my chest and, as my awareness expands, I can tell that the same person has knees on either side of my hips. They’re on top of me as I lay on my back in bed.
My first instinct is to scream, and I try, but the sound is muffled almost completely by the hand over my mouth. I try to thrash, but the heavy weight on top of me keeps me on my back, completely immobile.
“Shhh.” A deep, low voice growls in my ear. “This is only a dream.”
Ben.
Of course.
My heart leaps in my chest, and I smile behind the hand clamped tightly over my mouth. The adrenaline is still pumping, but I’m over the shock of being woken up like this.
Now I’m ready to play.
Oh, wait.
No, I’m not.
