Bewitching You (20 page)

Nana was his new best friend. Strange that a grandmother would leave an economy-sized box of rubbers for her virgin granddaughter, but who was Gray to judge?

Forgetting about the water, he made his way back upstairs, attempting to throw a plan together in his head. Should he crawl into bed with her and hope she didn’t kick him out? Should he
accidentally
trip in the hall, making enough noise she would wake up and see if he was okay?
Yeah, that would be real smooth, Gray
.

She’d want to have sex with him then, wouldn’t she?

He lay back down on the guest bed and opened the box. Rows of condoms fell on top of his chest. It’d been a while since he’d seen one of these. He’d never even considered buying any when he was with Rachel.

He’d thought he could wait until they were married, but now that he was wiser about the whole issue, wasn’t the real reason because he hadn’t loved her? Hadn’t desired her enough to push it?

Unquestionably, he’d had more passionate feelings about Sofia in the past forty-eight hours than he’d had during his entire relationship with Rachel.

Sure, the dreams probably helped those feelings along, but knowing now what he didn’t know then, he was damn glad he was here instead of making the worst mistake of his life. He
hadn’t
loved Rachel; it was obvious to him now. But did he love Sofia?

A low, hollow scream echoed down the hall and into the bedroom. Gray sat straight up, the hair rising on his neck. Sofia?

He jammed the condoms back into the box and set them underneath the bed before rewrapping the sheet around his waist and running into the hallway. Sofia walked toward him, shaking and in tears.

He gathered her into his arms. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Oh, Gray. I have to stop it.”

“Stop what?” Damn, he’d do anything to help her.

“The airplane.” She wiped the wet streaks from her face, only more brimmed in her eyes. “It’s going to crash, which really doesn’t matter because they’re all already dead. Every one of them. Even the pilot. There must have been a problem with the oxygen in the cabin. Maybe the plane flew too high or too low or both. Maybe there’s a crack in a window somewhere and all the air depleted from there. Or…or they all passed out before the oxygen masks fell. I don’t know. It’s just flying through the air with nobody at the wheel. What should I do?”

She wasn’t making any sense. Had she had a nightmare?

“Relax and try to breath, Sofe.”

“I can’t go back to sleep. It hurts too much to see them, knowing I can’t help.” She gulped for air. Her crisp gaze held secrets Gray wasn’t sure he wanted to know about.

Regardless, he wouldn’t tolerate her being in pain, helpless against her own dreams.

“What can I do?” He kissed her forehead, wanting to comfort her in any way possible.

“Hold me.”

Without question, Gray took her hand and guided her into her bedroom. She climbed onto the bed ahead of him and sat, waiting for him.

He gestured to the sheet wrapped around his waist. “I’ll put something on.”

“It’s okay. Just lie with me.”

Gray stretched out next to her, keeping the sheet over him while he enfolded her in his arms and held her close. This unknown emotion filled him. He ached for her, wanted to be with her, and couldn’t imagine never seeing her again.

Did he love her?

She rested her head on his bicep and met his gaze. A worried expression scrunched her forehead.

He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed her lips. “Did you have a premonition?” he asked—for the first time, believing that it might be possible.

“Yes. People are going to die if I don’t help them. I don’t know what to do.” A tear fell off her cheek and onto his arm.

“Don’t cry, Sofia. We’ll figure it out together, okay? I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“You will?”

“Yes.” He’d do anything.

“Thank you.” She let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes.

Chapter Eleven

Gray attempted to breathe steadily as she lay next to him. Trying to sleep was pointless, he’d realized, oh, about an hour or so ago. Not with her body curled up against him. Her nightgown had ridden up, revealing the lower half of her backside, which pressed against his erection.

Just a thin sheet separated them.

He tightened his fists shut to keep from touching her. Otherwise, he’d get carried away.

She wiggled and shifted again, turning her body around to face him.

He relaxed his stiff muscles, welcoming the small relief. But then he noticed her lips curl into a sexy smile. The white of her teeth glistened in the dimness of the room but her eyes were closed. Smiling in her sleep? Hmm. Interesting.

“Sofia?” he whispered, to see if she was awake enough to answer him.

“Mmm. I like that.” She flattened her hand to his chest. “Feels so good.”

“
Sofia
?”

“That feels even better.”

Holy shit. She was dreaming. With the sensual way she was talking, he hoped it was of him. He kept listening, to be sure. What else was he going to do? Wake her up?

Nah. Not yet.

“Of course I want you, Gray. I always want you.” She scooted closer and slid her leg over his hip.

Okay. This was looking up.

She laughed softly. “Feel me. See for yourself.”

Deep breath.

“Mmm.” She curved her leg higher, boosting her nightgown up farther.

Hell, he’d been good long enough. Only so much a man could take.

Just one touch, that’s all. One touch.

Then he’d carry her to her back to her bed and leave her to her dreams. But first…

He slid his hand up her thigh, slowly. Upward more. Just a little more. His palm slid over the unbelievably soft flesh of her ass. And he couldn’t help but caress her. Feel her.

She moaned again and rolled her hips forward, forging her moist heat against his cloth covered erection and away again. Definitely no panties. That was just not fair.

“Sofia,” he whispered, wanting her permission to continue. “Please, baby.” He pushed the sheet down some. If it happened again, he’d be able to feel her. Just feel her. That was all.

She panted softly, taking in small breaths. “Yes. Please.”

Was she coming?
Oh, hell
. He exhaled.

Take her
.
Love her
.
She’s yours
.

“Sofia.” His body shook with need as he gripped her hip and pulled her to him. “Damn, I want you.”

Carefully, he angled her onto her back, taking in the sight of her. His hands shook eagerly as he edged her nightgown up her waist—
keep going—
past her plump breasts and then over her head.

Her body was incredible. Creamy white with the moonlight shining down through the window.

The need to touch her overpowered any rational thought. He brushed his fingers along her thighs, across her mound, along her stomach. All soft, supple skin. Beautiful. Her nipples pebbled as his palms grazed over her breasts. He stopped to massage her, leaning over to run his tongue—

“Gray?”

He glanced up and noticed her eyes were open. She tried to sit up, but Gray lodged himself in between her legs.

“Sofia, I want you.” No asking this time. He nudged himself against her heat.

She reached up and cradled his jaw. “Was I dreaming?”

“Not anymore. This is real.” Not waiting for a reply, he kissed her lips, deep and long.

Her lips softened yet she trembled underneath him. She was nervous. He understood that. This would be her first time. And like the dreams, she’d give herself to him. He’d take her, make her his.

Not able to control himself, he grazed his lips down her neck to her breast again. Licking and tasting her, he savored how goddamn wonderful it was to have her, tangible flesh and blood.
Sofia
.

Her breathing quickened. Her fingers slipped through his hair.

This was going to happen.

He reached underneath the bed and pulled out a condom. She clasped her legs together when he skimmed it over himself.

“I’ll be gentle,” he said softly. Easing her knees apart, he wedged his body on top of hers again.

To make sure she was ready for him, he slid a finger inside of her. She was drenched. He slipped in another finger, preparing her as much as he could. Her lips quivered when he kissed her again, but she said nothing. A wary but lustful look covered her face.

She loosened some, so he withdrew his fingers and guided himself inside of her. Inching in, stretching her.

Sofia tried to breathe. Her pulse rocketed while her heart rioted. This was happening. He was making love to her. And she wasn’t dreaming this time.

Oh, wow.

Her fingers curled into his shoulders, bracing for pain but getting something different. Sure, the fullness of him entering her hurt a little, but her desire overrode any major discomfort. Nothing she couldn’t handle. It only hurt the first time, she remembered from the dreams.

What she didn’t quite remember was the squeezing in her chest or the fluttering in her belly. The feel of his bunched muscles under her fingertips. The way his naked hips fit between her trembling thighs. His chest against her breasts. All the sensations rolling over her, through her.

All of them
real.

He slowly eased forward inside her, deep, deeper. His breaths were steady by her ear as he halted. “Tell me if it hurts too much.”

“Just take me, Gray,” she whispered. “Take me.”

He peeked at her from the corner of his shadowy eye. A warning, it seemed. “If you say things like that, I might come before I’m done with you.”

Sofia bit her lips shut and wrapped her legs around his hips.

He pushed in another inch.

She clenched her eyes shut.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m a big girl. I can take it,” she said through gritted teeth.

He kissed a sensitive spot on her neck, then nuzzled his nose there. “You’re incredible and so goddamn sexy.”

Sexy? That made it kind of worth it. She focused her thoughts off the pain and on how he was working that sensitive spot on her neck below her ear—the way he’d taken her hands and pinned them above her head—the way his perspiration-damp chest pressed and slid against her responsive nipples—and the way his muscular body felt between her legs.

She loosened for him more, letting him in all the way. All of his magnificent thick, hard length…

“
Sofia
. You feel amazing.” He maneuvered to the spot that always made her orgasm in the dreams and slowly edged up and down against her. The pain was now mixing with pleasure. Deep, building pleasure.

“Oh, Gray,” she said on a breath.

“Is this the spot?” He pushed up on his hands and smiled, all the while quickening his movements.

 
“God, yes,” she cried, and the warm, wonderful buildup intensified, spiraling, erupting. Nerves she’d never felt before tingled and sizzled. Muscles tightened then went limp. Sweet, lazy limpness.

A few more thrusts and Gray gave way, falling onto her body.

Sofia wrapped her arms around him and held him close, spreading kisses across his cheek and jaw. Her emotions exploded, bursting free from where she’d kept them bundled up and hidden.

Love, want, need, devotion, loyalty―it was all for him.

And it was too late to go back now.