Chapter 44 #2
They stared at one another for a moment, while she let that fact sink in, and then once it had, while she embraced him in her head and took back all the things she’d said to him hours before.
“I told you I’d always be here for you, no matter what.” He touched her arm but winced at the contact. “Cripes, come here, you’re half frozen.”
He took off his jumper, exposing his chiselled torso to the bracing night air, and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Paul, I’m sorry.”
“Hush, there. You’ve nothing to be sorry for.” His arms did encompass her then, drawing her towards the solid wall of his chest and the intense heat he was radiating. “Are you hurt? Did that fuckwit hurt you? I’ll skin him alive.”
The way he was eyeballing her, she figured he’d been planning to already. Because while he was a big cuddly teddy bear, he also happened to be composed of barbed wire and gristle.
“I told him it was over.”
“Good girl.” He patted her back.
“He threw Flugwhump off the bus.”
“Fucker.”
“Left without us.”
“Yeah,” he acknowledged, cradling her closer, so that she was breathing in the earthy comfort of his skin. He was so solid, and warm. So, present. She could be content here, if she never moved again.
“What do you say to leaving here with me?”
She wanted that more than anything. So much so, that the prospect of it made her cry.
“Hey, none of that.” He nudged up her chin and swept away the tears with his thumb.
“I don’t deserve you.”
“Well, you got me anyway.” He followed up the thumb sweep with gentle kisses to her eyelids. “And more importantly, I’ve got you. I’ve got you, Jodi.” He eased her to her feet, supporting her rise. When she wobbled, he bent as if about to lift her.
“We need Flugwhump,” she said, staying his hands.
“Aye. Aye, we do. So where is your little black demon?”
Said tiny panther emerged from the gloom at the first call of his name. He rubbed straight up against Rock Giant’s leg, purring like he’d just won the kitty cat lottery.
“He likes you.”
“Of course he likes me. I rescued him from a plastic bag, and he knows I’m gonna score him some premium catnip later.
Don’t cha, mate.” Paul scooped up the cat, who happily flopped in his embrace like he was a baby.
When he then pulled her in closer to his side, her feline monster walloped her across the chin.
“Hey, we’ll have none of that, mate.”
He planted a kiss where the paw had hit her. “Better?”
“A little.”
He lovingly offered another.
She didn’t deserve his concern or his gentleness, but she craved both and was never ever saying no to them again. She’d been a fool to ever do so.
Flugwhump yowled as he was sandwiched between them and succeeded in squirming his way free of Paul’s arms. It left the path open for their bodies to meld together.
His, so solid, and so much bigger than hers.
Comforting, surrounding her like a protective cage, while her hands reached up and clasped the sides of his shorn head, drawing him to her mouth.
To where she wanted to feel the softness of his lips against her own.
To where she felt the hot hunger of his desire that made her shake and warmed her from the inside.
It wasn’t only his kisses that brought her back to life, it was the realisation that she was free to accept them. The past was done; a new dawn sat on the horizon. “I’m not his anymore,” she gasped, energised by that fact.
The admission scored her a ferocious grin. “No, Castle, you’re something much better. You’re mine.”
Their mouths melded once more, hands wandering this time, hers determinedly pulling him closer.
“I don’t deserve this,” she whispered when they surfaced for air.
“You deserve more than I can ever give you. You deserve love, and you have mine, for now and for always, exactly as I promised.” His voice was a sexy rasp weighed with sincerity. “You’re my everything, Jodi.”
“Castle,” she automatically corrected. He always called her that, and he was the only one who did.
Also, it reminded her of Doctor Who and Matt Smith insisting, ‘Come along, Pond,’ before they embarked on some wild adventure.
Paul held that sort of pull to her. One that was so much more than sexual attraction, though that was an evident factor, it wasn’t the limit of it.
It was also the heart and beneficence of the man.
The care with which he moved through the world, and the sense of wonder and adventure he brought to everything.
“You’re my everything, Castle.” Paul kissed her again, this time sliding his tongue between her lips and effortlessly making himself the king of her heart.
“Hey, can we hurry this up? I’m not one to complain, but I was pulled from my bed, and now I’m freezing my nads off here.”
They turned their heads simultaneously. It hadn’t dawned on her that Paul wasn’t alone, though it ought to have been obvious. It wasn’t as if he’d poofed himself here like a brother from one of her favourite books.
Black Halo’s lead guitarist stood leaning against the side of a bright yellow sports car, an easy grin on his handsome mug. “You two lovebirds want a lift somewhere with a bed?”
Paul exhaled some of the tension that she hadn’t realised he was carrying until she felt the release in his shoulders. “Damn straight, we do.” He looked back at her, all grin. “That plan cool with you, Castle?”
When she gave him a nod, he tugged her towards the waiting vehicle and got her settled in the passenger seat.
Then he scooped up Flugwhump and deposited him on her knee, before squeezing his bulk into the tiny bucket seat in the rear.
For a wonder, he actually fit. It certainly hadn’t been built with a man of his stature in mind.
It meant his knees were threatening to collide with his nose, but he didn’t gripe.
Jodi kept her head turned, still afraid that if she let him slip out of her field of vision, he’d be gone forever.
“It’s okay.” He settled a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Jodi put her hand on top of his, and Paul laced their fingers. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
On which subject, “Where to?” Ash asked.
“Rendezvous with the guys and your missus in Am?l.”
Jodi didn’t recall anyplace named Am?l from the itinerary, but honestly, he could have told her they were hightailing it to Jupiter and she’d have gone along with it.
Ash gave a nod and woke the engine. He slid the car into gear. “It’s a good job I love you, man, because that’s a five-hour drive and I’ve not had a brew yet.”