Promises: Promises Prevail Part 16

"Glad to hear it."

"I could make up a bed on the floor."He kicked off his boots. His toes were already curling away from the cold floor and she wanted to sleep on it? "Not necessary."

"I can be pretty bad."

"We'll work it out." He shucked his pants and dropped his s.h.i.+rt on the chair by the bed. Her eyes rounded as she took in his naked body.

"You'll be tired."

Ah, now they were at the crux of the matter. No doubt she saw a tired, cranky man as something to be avoided at all costs. He took the covers out of her hands, slid into bed beside her and nudged her over with his hip. As soon as he had enough room, he lay down. The mattress sagged, and she rolled against him. She s.h.i.+vered at the bite of the cold sheets. He pulled her into his arms, dragging her on top of him despite her resistance.

"Looks like it'll be a cold winter."

Her "Yes" was a squeak of agreement. He tucked her head under his chin as he said, "Tonight and every night from here on out, Jenna, you'll sleep in my arms."

"But-"

"No buts."

"My dreams..."

"Will be my problem." The softness of her stomachcradled his c.o.c.k, caressing it with every breath. From the way she held herself unnaturally still he knew she debated what to do about it. "Jenna?"

"What?"

Her hair slid over his ribs in a silken brush. He sucked in a steadying breath.

"Go to sleep."* * * * *

The scream in his ear jolted him awake. He was reaching for his gun before he realized there wasn't a threat. Beside him Jenna screamed again, bolted up straight, and flailed at invisible demons. Before he could do anything more than push up onto his elbows, she was swinging at him, the bed, the wall, all the while begging -begging-for someone to help her to get them off of her.

He sat up and grabbed her hands. She threw herself backwards.

"Jenna!"

"Oh G.o.d, help me!"

"Jenna. Wake up, baby."

She twisted in his grip. "Get them off me!" The last syllable broke on a scream.

He caught her head just before it slammed into the wall as she threw herself away from whatever haunted her dreams. He yanked her against his chest, anchoring her legs with his thigh, holding her arms at her side with one of his.

"I'll do whatever you want, I promise," she moaned.He snagged her chin in his hand. "Jenna?"

Her head fell back, her throat arched and she screamed a horrible, grating sound that had the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. Her body jerked against his. Her knee knifed up into his stomach.

"Nononoooooo..."

"Jesus Christ!" She hadn't been kidding about the dreams. He shook her, trying to wake her up. She fought harder.

The screaming stopped as suddenly as it began. She went limp in his arms. Her eyes flew open and locked unseeingly on the ceiling. In a despairing little whisper that tore at his heart with its total lack of hope, she begged, "Please, someone help me."

He pushed her hair off her face. She flinched and stiffened. "It's me, Suns.h.i.+ne."

"Clint?"

"Right here."

Her nails gouged desperate furrows into his forearms, but her gaze didn't leave the ceiling. She was still dreaming. "Don't let them eat me, Clint."

"Never, baby."

"Please?"

"I've got you."

"I can't keep them off me." Her voice rose with everysyllable.

"I'll take care of it." He started brus.h.i.+ng at her body with hard short strokes, hoping he was doing it right so she'd believe he got whatever it was.

"All gone now," he told her, putting as much authority into his voice as he could.

"They'll come back." She glanced past his shoulder.

"They always come back."

"I won't let them."

Her gaze drifted in his direction. "Promise?"

"I promise."

"You won't forget?"

"No."

She held herself absolutely still, as if weighing the value of his promise, then she shuddered and collapsed against his chest. He moved her hair out of the way. Her eyes were closed. She was asleep again, clutching his arm as if afraid he would leave. He pulled the comforter up over her sweaty body, protecting her from the chill, holding her as tightly as she needed, holding her as the night stretched on, soothing her when she got restless, comforting her when she cried out, holding her while the rage that boiled inside of him coiled to a hard knot of determination. Come morning, they were going to talk.

Jenna murmured in her sleep. He kissed her gentlyon top of her head.

And come morning, he'd have the name of the son of a b.i.t.c.h he was going to kill.* * * * *

"I told you, I don't remember."

"And I told you I don't believe you."

Jenna placed the platter of steak, eggs, and home fries in front of Clint. "There isn't anything I can do about that."

Clint picked up his knife and fork. The implements looked deadly in his large hands. "You can start by telling me his name."

She stepped back from the table. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"That was more than a nightmare last night, Jenna."

"I don't remember any of it."

"You expect me to believe you don't remember a time in your life when you were trapped somewhere with something crawling on you."

She shuddered at the thought. "No."

Clint took a bite of the steak, chewed, and swallowed. "It won't do you any good to hide from me. I will find out."

"When you do, you can tell me."He took another bite, staring at her over his fork. He chewed, and raised an eyebrow. "You really don't remember anything?"

"No."

"Of the dream? Or what causes it?"

"Neither."

"Then it's going to take me a little longer."

She wiped her hands on the towel. "For what?"

"Someone hurt you, Jenna. I want to know who and why."

"It was just a dream."

"It's more than that, whether you remember or not."

His fork clinked on his plate as he cut off some egg.

"Can't you forget about it?"

His eyes narrowed and his lean jaw set as he placed his knife and fork on his plate with deliberate care. "No."

She wrapped her hand in the faded blue towel and gathered her courage. "Maybe I don't want to know. If it's as bad as you say, maybe it's better if it stays forgotten."

Clint leaned back in his chair. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because whoever it is could still be a threat."

"That's preposterous.""Why?"

"Because." She refused to believe that what had happened before could happen again.

"That's not much of an answer."

"No one wants to hurt me." Not anymore.

"You just got through saying that you don't remember."

She didn't, but when she tried to remember, her head hurt and she couldn't breathe. And that scared her almost as much as Clint did when he got the expression in his dark eyes that he had now. He was so cold and remote.

Unreachable.

She motioned to his breakfast, hoping to change the subject. "Is everything all right with your food?"

"It's fine." His expression didn't lighten. If anything, it got harder. "Where's yours?"

"I'll eat when you're done."

"Why?"

Because Jack had always insisted that she do so. But Clint had forbidden her to mention Jack to him. "I thought you'd prefer it."

"You thought wrong."

"Oh."

"Jenna?"The deep note in his voice stroked along her nerves.

She liked his voice. It contained such strength, such calm.

Just hearing it soothed the panic she so often felt inside.

"What?"

"Sit down and eat."

"I didn't cook anything for myself yet."

"Bring me a plate."

His gaze burned into her back as she crossed to the oak hutch. She tried to minimize her limp, but she knew there was no way he wouldn't notice. She wished, just for once, that she could be graceful. She took one of the fine china plates off the shelf. Because she was focusing so hard, she overcompensated. Her toe caught on the rug.

She stumbled, caught herself on the table edge, but the plate-that beautiful blue flowered plate-went flying.

For a second, she couldn't move. She just stood there, watching the plate sail through air. With a sense of finality, she watched it hit the floor, closing her eyes as it shattered, knowing there was no excuse for its breaking.

Nothing except her own clumsiness.

"Oh G.o.d!"

Clint stood and cut her a glance, his expression unreadable. She hadn't meant to call attention to herself.