Divine Phoenix(Divine Creek Ranch 10)(119)

Del shifted slightly and peered over at Clay. Clay asked, “Did that feel as hot as it was to watch? I think my dick could bust diamonds right now.”

Lily smiled like the cat that ate the canary, turned to kiss Del, then said in a low voice, “I think I should take care of that problem, shouldn’t I, cowboy?”

“Mmm,” Del murmured with a sigh, “you’re such a giver, Lily Bell.”

Lily proved that night that while she might have gone a little overboard with the elliptical workouts, she was taking full advantage of the increase in stamina and muscle strength that they afforded her.



* * * *



After all the energy Del had expended making love with Lily, it surprised him that he was still awake after the others had long since fallen asleep.

Lily had assured them that JT wouldn’t show up during the week because it would mean missing work. She said JT didn’t care when Dirk took off, but he was too money-hungry and distrusting of even family to leave the shop alone.

Her reasoning had merit, but Del was still on alert. This was a feeling he was used to, almost comfortable with. He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. After tossing and turning, he finally climbed from the warm bed, where Lily and Clay were still curled up together, and walked around the house. He checked the deadbolts and all the window locks then flopped down on the padded recliner in the dark living room.

Everything he’d heard about JT led him to believe that the asshole wouldn’t stop at mere harassment, and a restraining order would mean very little to him. Del still supported her decision to file for one but knew when this all came to a head, waving a piece of paper in front of JT’s face would only make him laugh. It was up to them to keep Lily out of harm’s way. Period.

Del sat there working through various scenarios, wanting to be prepared should JT make an appearance. He couldn’t handle the thought of another woman dying because he wasn’t doing his job. The sound of a woman’s scream of anguish hurtled him from those thoughts, and he froze in the dark, wondering if he’d dreamed it or heard it. The seconds ticked by as his heartbeat gradually slowed to normal.

His senses went on alert again when a shadow moved in the living room, until a moonbeam illuminated her satiny skin.

Lily came to him, warm and comfortingly real. “What’s the matter? Did you have a nightmare?”

Del smiled and nodded his head as she climbed naked into his lap, bringing a throw blanket with her, which he took and spread around them so she wouldn’t get chilled. “It’s nothing. Just nerves, I think.”

She cuddled up in his lap, and before long, his cock was also wide awake and wanting more of Lily. Greedy bastard couldn’t get enough, and when he was in contact with her warm, cuddly body, he couldn’t help the reaction, but he also wanted her to get her rest. They’d kept her busy that evening, so he willed his cock into submission.

“What’s keeping you awake, cowboy?” she asked, using the endearment that was starting to grow on him. “Are you worrying about JT? The divorce will be final soon and he’ll be out of my life. Hank knows that he came around again. Between my men and the sheriff, I know I’ll be safe.”

Del chuckled. “In light of our situation, you might want to reword that thought.”

Lily laughed and said, “With the two of you close by me and the sheriff doing his job, I’ll be fine. Del, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

She stroked his biceps and murmured, “Will you trust me with what happened overseas? Whatever it is that gives you nightmares? I promise I won’t judge you.”

How did she know that was at the core of his fear of her finding out? He professed to have the ability to keep her safe but fat lot of good that would do her if he wasn’t available or couldn’t act to protect her.

“Don’t you trust me, Del?”

Del squeezed Lily’s warm, pliant body and murmured his reply. “Of course I trust you. It was a failure on my part that gives me nightmares and makes me afraid that you wouldn’t be able to trust me.”

Lily gripped his chin and turned his face so that she could kiss him and then said, “Everyone fails and sometimes there are serious repercussions. Were you trying to protect someone and you were attacked?”

Del sighed and gave in to her. It was time to let it out. The weight was becoming heavier with time, not lighter as he’d hoped. Lily’s love and attention helped, but some things were more than the human soul could handle alone.

“She was just one of the women of the village trying to find her pet late one afternoon. She was probably someone’s mom or daughter. We were occupying an abandoned home, which we had underground access to, doing surveillance on a nearby compound at the end of a street. We could come and go from a safe access point without being seen. All we were supposed to do was watch, collect information, and report.