Free Reckoning by Jo Leigh Page A

to wash and shave. Just as he was about to turn off the light, he heard Tam moan. When he got to the bed, she was still sleeping. She moaned again. He knew too well that she had a full range of nightmares in her beautiful head. But she wouldn’t have to finish this one. He sat. Touched her arm lightly. “Tam. Honey?”
    Practically vibrating with fright, her body was trembling and her breathing quick and shallow.
    “Tam, wake up. You’re okay. You’re safe.”
    Her eyes shot open he took her up into his arms, holding her tightly.
    “What happened?” she asked.
    “You were having a nightmare.”
    “Is that all? You scared me.”
    He pulled away so he could see her. “Is that all?”
    She nodded. “I’m sure you have them, too.”
    “That’s not the point.”
    Tam gave him a crooked smile. “What is?”
    “You shouldn’t have bad dreams. Ever.”
    “Why not? I’ve had some pretty crappy things happen. I believe that we work stuff out in our dreams. Did you know in REM sleep, we have the exact same brain wave patterns as when we’re awake?”
    He kissed her, long and deep. Who else would look at nightmares as rationally as Tam? Chalk one up for the science geek.
    Her arm went around his neck as the tip of her tongue brushed his lower lip. That was all it took. He moved away, got off the bed.
    “What?”
    “Too many clothes,” he said, crouching to take off his boots.
    “Good point.” She threw back the covers and whipped off that staid, frilly nightgown.
    He fumbled with his shoes some more because he couldn’t look down. Not when she was right there in front of him, naked, small, elegant. The fatigue that had him practically sleepwalking two minutes ago was gone. So was his coordination. He teetered for a moment then sat on the floor. Hard.
    Naturally, Tamara laughed.
    He cursed, but he wasn’t embarrassed or angry. Just happy she was okay. That they’d gotten through one more day without any injuries. At least he hoped so. Boone and Seth were still out there, risking it all.
    “Hey, what happened?”
    “I lost my balance.” He got to his feet so he could get his jeans off.
    “No, that’s not what I mean. One minute you were smiling and silly, the next you weren’t. What happened?”
    He shook his head. “Nothing. It’s not important.”
    Her head tilted to the side. “Wasn’t it you who said we can only do what we can do?”
    “Yeah.”
    “So tell me, Sergeant Pratchett. What can you do right now?”
    He dropped his pants and his boxers, then whipped off his shirt as he toed off his socks. “I’m not exactly sure,” he said. “Despite the fact that all I want is to ravish you until we’re both comatose, I’m really afraid that I’ll fall asleep at a very inappropriate time.”
    “Ravish me, huh?”
    He nodded as he put one knee on the bed. Tam leaned her back against the wall as if they’d done this a hundred times but her nipples told a different story. They were hard and excited, just like his dick.
    He moved next to her and maneuvered under the covers, so they both shared his pillow. Then he kissed her.
    She ran her hand down his side, then up his back. Such a small hand. So delicate. Once more down his side, then she snuck it between them, and she touched his erection with her fingers.
    He hissed at the sensation.
    “Nate?”
    “Yes?”
    “You need to sleep. Let me just do this, okay? We’ll make love tomorrow.”
    He shook his head. “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “I want you to get off, too.”
    “I don’t need to. This will make me happy.”
    He leaned back farther, barely able to see her expression in the dark. “That’s crazy.”
    “No, it’s not.” She gripped his shaft firmly, then pumped, forcing his brain to short-circuit.
    “It’s what I want.”
    “But—”
    She stopped him with a kiss. And got her way. In a shamefully short time, he felt the edge of his climax. She moved her hand more quickly and thrust her tongue deep into his mouth.
    He came