She’d fallen asleep not long after she’d started reading. Gradually, the strain had disappeared from her face.

Damn the PZs. All the same, it could be the assholes hadn’t realized they were shooting at a woman—or even a person. Bored guards were known for taking potshots at anything that moved in the surrounding forest. Frustration simmered inside him because simply destroying the place wasn’t possible—not with innocent women and children there. There might even be new recruits who hadn’t realized what they’d signed on for. Maybe. He doubted a person would remain ignorant of their purpose for long.

As if she’d heard his violent thoughts, she stiffened in her sleep, her hands twitching, her breathing speeding up. A crease between her brows and her whimpers indicated she wasn’t having a good dream.

Fuck knew, he had the bad kind all too often.

“Frankie,” he murmured. He set his hand on her leg over the blanket, letting the warmth penetrate. Slowly, he glided his palm over her thigh, up and down. “I’m here. You’re safe.”

Her breathing halted for a second, before she wakened. Her gaze focused on him—“Bull”—and desire rose in her eyes.

Tempting, tantalizing desire.

Fuck. “Yeah. You’re in my home—and safe. You had a nightmare.”

“I did, only it wasn’t all a dream.” Her voice rose with amusing indignation. “I got shot.”

“So, you did.” He kept stroking slowly. Wishing—as he shouldn’t—that the blanket didn’t cover her bare leg. “Hell of a day, hmm?”

“There’s an understatement.” She turned toward the front windows that faced the lake, and her eyes widened. “It’s dark.”

“It’s after 11:00.” Night had fallen while she’d slept. Enjoying the sunset on the lake, then the moon-shimmer on the snowy mountains, he hadn’t turned on the inside lights. Only the various kitchen electronics provided any light in the house.

When Frankie struggled to sit up, Bull pulled her to a sitting position. And enjoyed the sway of her full breasts under his T-shirt.

Her mouth curved up…because she’d noticed the direction of his gaze.

He shrugged. “I’d say I’m sorry, but it wouldn’t be true. You have beautiful breasts.”

Her laugh was low and husky. “Okay, yes. I do.”

Yeah, he really did like her.

“Thank you for insisting that I stay.” She pulled in a long breath that had him checking out those breasts again. “Knowing I could have died… Being here, somewhere safe, let me get past it.”

“That was the plan.” It’d helped him too, knowing nothing would hurt her here. Not with him around. He’d needed that assurance as much as she had.

She leaned forward, running her hand up his shoulder, behind his head, and gave him a straight-forward, heated look. “Thank you. For the rescue. For handling everything and giving me a quiet space to recuperate.”

Her lips pressed against his, warm and soft, opening to him. When he put his arm around her and pulled her close, her body went boneless, letting him have all the control.