Chapter 15 #2
The corners of his mouth dipped down in a small frown and he walked over to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder and met her gaze. His eyes weren’t so intense this close. The gray not so unrelenting. “Even after tonight. Grab a shower. It’s been a long night.”
A beat passed before she gave in. “Fine.” She turned and walked toward the bathroom.
She’d weaseled her way into enough of the investigation and needed to leave it to Graham.
But as she stepped into the hot spray and rinsed the dirt and sweat out of her hair, one thing kept circling in her mind…
the address beside Paula’s picture on the computer screen.
Casa Del Mar 500, Playa Del Carmen.
What an easy address to remember.
Darkness surrounded her. Her hands reached out and brushed up against the cold stone of the walls that encased her on either side.
She tried to turn in a circle, but the walls moved in, wedging her between them.
Her heels dug into the dirt floor and she used all of her body weight to try to push the wall back.
It didn’t work.
Panic gripped her heart and she clawed at the stone.
A fingernail snapped and she yelped in pain and sucked on the wounded finger.
A bright light shone from the distance and she turned her shoulders to the side to shimmy down the damp tunnel.
She reached toward the light, but the more she walked the farther away the light moved.
“Help!” A shrill voice pierced the air.
She turned her head to the side. Who was that? Was someone down here with her? “Who’s there?” Her voice bounced back at her and echoed off the walls.
“Why did you leave me with them?” The small voice sounded like a child’s and a shiver of fear ran down her spine. Becca?
“I’m trying to find you,” she called out. She squinted and searched the distant light, but nothing appeared.
The walls pressed in closer, stealing the breath from her lungs. The smooth stone turned jagged as it pushed into her tender flesh. She tried to take a breath but the walls pushed in farther. She reached for the light, for the voice, but complete blackness surrounded her yet again.
“Mickey…Mickey! Wake up.”
An urgent voice penetrated through the walls. Light pressure pressed against her arms and her muscles tightened. Her body twisted and turned, her feet peddled through the air but didn’t touch anything. Her eyes flew open and Graham’s furrowed brow and concerned eyes stared back at her.
She gasped for air and pushed a sheet of hair from her face.
The damp strands stuck to her hand, and she shook them off as she sat up.
Tears clouded her vision, and she glanced around the dark room.
Her lungs burned, but she couldn’t seem to fill them fast enough.
Graham tucked her hair behind her ears and gathered her close against his hard chest.
“I was in a tunnel and the walls closed in.” Her words came out quick, her voice thick with tears. “I heard a voice, but I couldn’t get to it. I couldn’t save her. The walls were crushing me, killing me.”
“You were having a nightmare. It’s okay. Everything’s fine.” His fingers grazed her spine, bunching the material of her shirt.
She sunk into him, letting the slow motion of his fingers calm her. Sweat clung to her hairline, but she let it linger, focusing only on the slow movement of the tips of his fingers up and down her spine. Up and down, up and down.
Her back stiffened and she sat up straight on the bed.
She wasn’t wearing a bra. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down.
What the hell was she wearing? A large white T-shirt hung loosely on her, but her exposed nipples somehow managed to press tightly against the soft material. Heat scorched her cheeks.
“You’re shaking. Are you cold?”
“No, I’m not cold. I just can’t get my nightmare out of my head. The little girl’s voice will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Goosebumps lined her arms and a chill tore through her body.
“I’ve had my fair share of nightmares. They can be brutal.”
She dropped her gaze and her eyes landed on Graham’s naked chest. She cleared her throat and forced her eyes up to his face. “How do you get over them?”
His arm came around and pressed against her back, pushing her close to the hard muscles of his chest. “Some of them never go away. The others drift away on their own.”
She rested her head against his breastbone. “I’ll never be able to sleep.” Her heart beat a steady rhythm, matching Graham’s under her cheek.
Graham pulled away and lifted her chin with his thumb. “You’re stronger than you think.”
His touch branded her skin and she swallowed hard. Her tongue swiped across her lips, her eyes never leaving his. “Do you think so?”
A soft chuckle rumbled from his throat and he leaned closer, his warm breath caressing her skin. “I think a lot of things about you, Red.”
She smiled up at him. “You can’t get more creative than Red?”
A lazy grin spread across his face. “You can’t get more creative than G.I. Joe?”
She shrugged and the T-shirt rose a little on her thighs. Graham’s hand traveled from her chin to cup the back of her neck. “Do you want me to show you what I think of you, Red?”
Oh, boy.
She gulped and nodded. She wanted him to take her mind far away from the nightmare that still lingered in her brain.
His warm body pressed against hers and chased the chill from her skin.
His free hand wrapped around the small of her back and bunched the shirt up even higher.
She closed her eyes and the horror from moments before vanished like a fine mist floating out to sea.
It wasn’t real. Graham was real…this moment was real. And dammit, she needed something to make her feel good for just one minute of this rotten day. She took a deep breath as he lowered his lips to hers. Electricity zipped through her veins.
Oh, freaking boy.