As he watched her, his feelings for her grew by the minute. She was everything he’d been looking for, and he’d do anything to keep her with him and happy.
He smiled when she jumped back up on the mattress, slid under the covers close to him, and then handed him the book.
He grinned. Cinderella. The story of a young woman who lived a horrible life but found the prince, and he saved her—a fitting tale for their situation.
“Once upon a time…”
He knew precisely when Eve fell asleep against him, but he continued to read, not wanting the night to end just yet. At the end of the book, he closed it and set it on the nightstand before lifting Eve and moving her down, so her head lay on the pillow. He covered her up and then stood over her.
She looked so peaceful and even had a smile on her face.
He turned the bedside light off but made sure the nightlight was on by the bathroom. He also kept the door cracked open so he could hear her if she needed him.
After showering and getting into bed, Patrick lay back and thought of all the things he wanted to do with Eve and everything he wanted to give her. Every smile she gave him felt like a special gift, and he knew he’d never take them for granted.
Seven
Eve’s high-pitched cry woke her from a sound sleep. She sat up and looked around frantically for the source of her terror.
Patrick rushed in a second later. “Easy, baby. You’re okay.” He took the few steps to her bed slowly. He sat gingerly at the end of her bed and waited for her attention to zoom in on him. “You’re with me, Patrick. No one’s going to hurt you.”
She drew in one deep breath after another to calm her racing heart. She’d been dreaming that she was back in her old room and the whole day had been an illusion. It would be so much worse knowing there was something out in the world that was magical and not have it than never knowing it existed.
“Can I hold you?” he asked.
She flew into his arms, wrapped hers around his neck, and held onto him tightly.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Patrick asked her.
“I had a nightmare.” She paused and took a shaky breath. “I dreamt that you weren’t real.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Oh, baby. I’m very real, and I’m not going anywhere.”
She tilted her head back to see his face. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. “You promise?”
He squeezed her to his chest. “I promise. You’re stuck with me.”
She nodded against his chest. The tickle from his chest hair and skin under her hand made her suddenly aware he was naked from the waist up. Oh, wow. He had thick muscles that made valleys and peaks out of his chest and stomach. She wanted so badly just to reach out and touch him, but she was afraid he’d get mad at her.
“You don’t have a shirt on.”
He chuckled. “I usually sleep naked, but I pulled on the sleep pants before bed just in case you had a nightmare. Now I’m glad I did. I wanted to be able to get to you as soon as I could if you needed me.”
The light from the hallway and the small nightlight sent a stream of muted light over them, leaving them in a shroud of darkness that brought an intimacy to the night.
“Do you think you can sleep now, baby?”
The thought of being alone sent a shiver of unease down her spine, but she didn’t want to burden him with her insecurities or make his life difficult. If she upset him, he might just take her back to her father.
“Ah, yeah, I can,” she stuttered. “I’m fine.”
He must have heard the strain in her tone.
“How about you sleep with me? That way, I’ll be right beside you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Eve said and started to pull away.
“You don’t understand. I won’t get any sleep worrying about you in here. Nothing will happen but me holding you. Unless that makes you feel uncomfortable, and then I’ll just lay on the other side of the bed.”