Taivon: Book Three of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Twenty-Four

Alix rolled over. Her eyelids felt like they were glued shut, but she managed to crack them open. It was hazy at first. There was the canopy above her head, illiuminated with sunlight, and then the fortress of surrounding pillows and couches. Letting her head fall back onto another pillow, she stretched out her arms, a few pops sounding, and then stopped when her fingers brushed up against soft flannel.

She didn't have to look to know that it was Taivon. He was such an early riser and was always up before she ever was. As she turned over again, Alix fully opened her eyes and reached her hand out to rest it on his thigh.

He was eating apple slices, each bite resounding with an audible crunch. With his hair standing up at odd angles, five o'clock shadow covering his neck, and legs crossed with unmanly flexibility, Taivon was the epitome of laid-back, Sunday morning laziness. Absolutely sexy and a whole lot of do-things-to-me vibes rolling off him in waves.

Taivon caught her eye then and smiled. “Hey.”

His fingers were twining with hers, and he squeezed, raising her hand just the tiniest bit. That was all the distance it took. Her knuckles brushed against the heated skin of his abdomen, forcing Alix's gaze to the thick treasure trail that disappeared at the waistband of his pajamas. Right next to a little tenting in his pants.

Hot damn.

“Hey,” she said.

“Sleep well?”

Alix nodded and crawled over to him, resting her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer, hand still holding hers. “Yeah. How 'bout you?”

“Better, actually. I slept through the entire night.”

“Really? No nightmares?”

He kissed her forehead. “Really. No nightmares, and I'm pretty sure I owe it all to you. I haven't slept through the entire night in years.”

“Is it 'cause of all those scary movies?”

“No,” Taivon said. “It's not that. I just don't like those 'cause they keep me up. My nightmares are more...bad memories that make me feel helpless. Like, I try to help, but I'm moving in slow motion, and it always ends the same, but...” He gulped and looked away. “It feels so real.”

Cupping his bristly face with her palm, Alix brought his head down to her neck and kept it there. She could feel the rapid in and out movements of his chest. The shallowness of his breathing. The clammy feel of his palm against hers.

She didn't know if they were panic attacks, or if this was just a flashback of all those bad memories, but what Alix did know was that she could help. She'd calmed him down enough times in the middle of the night; and if he needed her now, she could certainly give him everything.

“Alix,” he whispered.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

There was something deeper there than her just holding him, but she didn't pry. Instead, Alix kept her arms wrapped around him and his face against her. His breath floated across her neck every now and then, and it made her shiver and feel tingly all over.

Then, Taivon started kissing her.

He didn't kiss her on the mouth, but on her neck. Just light brushes of his lips against her skin and then more daring, rougher tugs with his teeth. The contact sent electric shocks rushing through her body, centered right at her core, where she could feel herself getting wet.

One hand tightened on hers and the other slid from out of his pocket to grab onto her hip. He gave a squeeze and then licked her neck, murmuring something in such a low voice that it was more of a vibration than a sound to actually be heard.