Devastate Me: A Next Door Neighbor Romance

by Emma Castle

  Colt had only one look at Ophelia’s bruised and battered body on the gurney, and a pain far greater than any he’d ever experienced tore at his insides like a raging beast. He could lose her, when he’d finally been brave enough to open his heart.

  Ophelia came awake in bits and pieces, drifting in and out like waves on the shore, pulling her closer to the surface. When she was finally able to open her eyes, the room was dark and hospital machines beeped softly. She didn’t try to move. Something inside her knew she would hurt worse if she did. Her dry lips were cracked, and she struggled to swallow.

  A figure lounged in a chair near the bed. His face was silhouetted by the moonlight coming in from the window.

  “Colt . . .” Her hoarse voice sounded like she’d swallowed gravel and it hurt to speak. Colt stirred awake and glanced at her. His eyes widened.

  “Ophelia.” That single utterance, so full of hope and worry, dug into her heart.

  “Water?” she asked.

  He got up and picked up her plastic water mug and held it to her lips. She drank a little before he set the mug down and reached up to stroke her hair, only to freeze in place.

  “God, I’m afraid to touch you,” he murmured.

  “What happened?” Memories of what had happened were still fuzzy and came more in flashes than clear pictures.

  “Two men followed you into your house. I saw them go into the garage. When Noah and I got there, they’d already hurt you. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I should have been there.” He looked devastated, as if he were somehow responsible. Pain created black shadows in his eyes.

  “What happened to the men?”

  “Arrested. Both of them. The police suspect they’re responsible for half a dozen home invasions in the area.”

  She closed her eyes for a moment. “Good.”

  “The hospital performed a rape kit,” he said quietly. “I had to tell them we were dating and that we had sex earlier that day. Do you remember if they hurt you that way?”

  She shook her head. She only remembered trying to crawl to the phone.

  “The doctor doesn’t think they did, but we weren’t sure if you remembered anything. I was positive I got to them before anything happened, but . . .”

  “Colt . . .” She didn’t know what she wanted to say. She was so tired and still in pain.

  “God, Ophelia, I’m so damn sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault.” She started to close her eyes. “I’m tired and need to rest.”

  Colt started to stand. “I’ll go, then.”

  “No, please stay.”

  He moved his chair closer to the bed and laced his fingers with hers. It was like a lifeline in the dark storm of her body’s pain.

  “I’ll stay.”

  “Thank you.”

  She managed a weak smile as she drifted off to sleep. She thought—or perhaps dreamed—that he said he loved her.

  5

  Ophelia peered out of the window of Colt’s truck as he pulled into her driveway. After a week in the hospital she was finally home, and God, it felt good not to have to spend another night in a stiff hospital bed. Noah sat between her and Colt, his tongue lolling out as he watched his owner open the driver’s-side door. The shepherd had a bandage around his upper leg and a few minor stitches, but like Colt had hoped, the dog’s injury had been more of a glancing scrape than a serious injury. Ophelia rested one hand on the dog’s shoulders.

  “Noah, out.” Colt stepped out of the truck, and the shepherd leapt past him onto the ground. Ophelia opened her door, but before she could get down, Colt was there with his hands on her hips as he gently set her on her feet.

  Despite his gruff demeanor, he was always such a gentleman around her. It was so sweet and sexy at the same time. She hated to admit it—it always felt like she had to hand in her feminist card when she thought along these lines—but she liked it when Colt opened a door for her. It felt respectful, and she liked that in a man. Even her last boyfriend had always been a gentleman. But Colt had taken it to a whole new level while he’d cared for her in the hospital.

  “You know I can walk, right?” she teased.

  “I know.” The sudden tenderness in Colt’s gaze stilled her heart. “I just like to get my hands on you whenever I can.”

  “Oh? In that case, maybe I can’t walk so well.”

  “Ophelia!” Miranda rushed across the street to greet them. “Oh, honey, you look so much better.” She gave Ophelia a gentle hug. “The gals will be thrilled to know that you’re home.” Miranda then looked to Colt. “Thank you for taking care of our girl.” She hugged the big, gruff Navy SEAL and shot Ophelia a wink.

  “I don’t mind. She’s not too high maintenance,” Colt said with a straight face.

  “High maintenance, huh?” Ophelia replied. “And to think, I had dreamed up some great ways to pay you back for such dedicated attention.”

  His way of keeping her distracted from the pain of recovering had been by telling her all the dirty fantasies he’d had about her between that first kiss and when they’d finally made love. She’d never been so excited to get home in her life, because she didn’t plan on waiting a second longer to to be alone with him.

  Now she had his full attention, and his eyes glowed with desire. “Oh? Care to share any, sweetheart?”

  “I better let you two settle in. I’ll see you tomorrow night for drinks.” Miranda smirked. “Assuming you can walk.”

  Ophelia blushed. “Thanks, Miranda.” In the past week, Colt had made it very clear that they were officially dating, and she’d heard from nearly every one of the women who lived on their quiet little street once word spread. One group text with Miranda, Jennifer, and Eliza had been filled with dozens of completely inappropriate questions, which she had read aloud to Colt. It had made her laugh, even though that had hurt her ribs, and he’d sat there frowning and grumbling about women, margaritas, and bikinis in the most adorable way.

  Colt put a gentle arm around her waist. “Let’s go inside and continue this discussion.” The second she entered her house, she stiffened as she searched for signs of blood and broken glass, or any evidence of what had happened. There was no hint of the epic struggle that had occurred.

  “You okay?” Colt asked as he held her close.

  “Yeah. I just expected to see the mess, you know?”

  “I had a few friends come in and fix everything while you were in the hospital.”

  “Even the TV?” She saw a TV sitting on the stand, ready to be turned on. She thought the robbers had broken it.

  “No, I bought you a new one. Hope you don’t mind.” He was watching her with increased concern.

  “No, I don’t, but I insist on paying you back for that.” She realized it was actually bigger than her old TV. “How many inches is that? Mine was forty-two inches . . .”

  He looked at his boots like a guilty schoolboy. “Er . . . sixty-five? I just figured that if I was going to be spending time over here, we should have a bigger screen.”

  She couldn’t deny that she liked the sound of we when he said it like that.

  “I really do have to pay you back for that.” She was going to insist on it.

  “Okay, I’ll let you,” he said carefully. “But you’re welcome to see it as a get-well gift.”

  Ophelia stared around the room for a long moment, letting the awful memories wash over her. The trauma therapist at the hospital had told her to relive the attack and, more importantly, relive the surviving of it. She gently pulled free of Colt and walked through the living room to her bedroom. She had only dim memories of Colt speaking to her, touching her, and the paramedics shining a bright light into her pupils. Colt had held her hand the entire time.

  Noah walked ahead of Ophelia with a slight limp in his front right leg. Ophelia felt forever bound to the big dog for rushing in so fearlessly to defend her. He had saved her life.

  Next week she would face the two men who’d attacked her at their arraignment hearing. She wanted
to look them both in the eyes and let them see that she was not afraid of them.

  Ophelia’s gaze went to the spot on the floor in her bedroom where she’d been found, and then she looked to Colt as he filled the doorway. God, he was gorgeous, and he was all hers. That fact still made her smile, and she held out a hand to him.

  “You okay?”

  “Yes. I was just reliving the incident, remembering that you and Noah saved me. I’m alive and well, thanks to you both.”

  He gathered her in his arms, and she buried her face against his throat. She had no desire to move from his arms, and if she could have, she would have stayed there forever.

  “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?” he asked. He pressed his lips to the crown of her hair. “I can stay on the couch.”

  “Yes, I’d like that, but you won’t be on the couch.” The soft press of their bodies reminded her of how much she wanted him. It had been a cruel twist of fate that she’d had one day with him before being hurt so badly in the attack.

  She lifted her head. “Colt?”

  He looked down at her, one hand threaded through her hair in a way that felt wonderful. “Hmm?” He was always doing that, finding sweet little ways to keep his hands on her. She felt loved. She felt desired.

  “Will you take me to bed?”

  “Sweetheart, I don’t think—”

  “Just go slow and I’ll be okay. Please. I just need to be with you.”

  His warm hazel eyes were shrouded with uncertainty and his dark hair feel across his forehead making him look bashful and charming in a way she’d never expected from her fierce neighbor. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. “Don’t make me beg.”

  “But I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t—I’m a tough cookie.”

  “That you are. Should we go to my house?” He looked to the spot where he’d found her on the floor.

  “No, here. I want to replace the bad memories with good ones.”

  “Okay, but if you need to stop at any time, you tell me.”

  He pulled off his shirt, and she slipped out of her sandals. Ophelia unbuttoned her blouse and slipped out of her shorts and panties, then removed her bra as he finished kicking off his boots, socks, and jeans. She sat on the bed completely naked, and he joined her. His gaze swept over her, his desire making his eyes as warm as melted honey.

  “You’re so beautiful and so brave. You know that, don’t you?” He cupped the back of her head for a slow, deep kiss that made her toes curl.

  “Am I?” she asked. She traced his collarbone with her fingers, and his lips curved into a smile that was half hidden beneath his beard.

  “Braver than anyone I know.”

  He leaned in to kiss her again, and the sweetness of that kiss burned her in the best way. She was wild for Colt, more than any man she’d ever been with, and yet it wasn’t just desire she felt. She had a feeling that the quiet, calm depths of her affection for him was something infinitely more, like love. For too long she’d been letting herself live a reserved life, even with the men in her past relationships. Now, she did indeed feel brave.

  “Colt.” She curled her arms around his neck and pulled him down so he covered her body with his.

  “Yeah?” He swept his eyes over her with a wistful expression as he cupped her face. His thumb brushed over her cheek as she parted her thighs and he settled between them.

  “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  There, she’d done it. She’d exposed herself and left her heart wide open.

  “I think I am too, with you,” he replied, his voice a little rough. “I didn’t want to, not after my last relationship, but I couldn’t help myself. And I don’t regret that for a minute.” His body heat seeped into her, and she wound her arms around his back, holding him close as he kissed her again.

  They made love, slow and tender and yet with intensity and passion. Ophelia felt a radiant light glowing inside her. Their breaths mixed in silent intimacy, broken only by soft sighs and the sound of their skin sliding against the sheets. Even being gentle, Colt still managed to overwhelm her with his sensual intensity. He left no part of her unexplored, no part of her unkissed. She giggled as he searched for the ticklish spots behind her knees and just below her arms along her sides. His responding chuckle of delight to her reactions was music to her ears. It was a gift to have a partner to share sweet moments like this with. She’d always wanted that but had never truly experienced it before.

  When he finally entered her, she was trembling with need and quiet euphoria. This was no frantic coupling. It was measured and slow, but no less powerful than the first time they had come together.

  Colt pinned her hands in the bedding and rode her body slowly, holding her gaze as he filled her deeply with each thrust. He stole a kiss every few seconds, but he seemed determined not to look away as her climax hit. Her toes curled and her back arched as the orgasm scorched clear down to her soul. Colt’s body tensed as he spilled himself inside her. After that, they stayed connected a long moment, both lost in the intense moment of true oneness, neither of them wanting to let go of it first.

  Ophelia looked up at him, her body lax as she coaxed him to lie down beside her. Then she nestled up against him. Everything terrible that had happened in this room lost its hold over her. There was only this peaceful joy, this sense of connectedness to Colt. She had some regrets in life, of course, but none with him. And that was all that mattered.

  One month later

  Colt was strangely nervous as he parked his truck in the VA lot. Noah and Ophelia were with him. It was the first time he’d brought Ophelia here, and he wondered what she would think. Seeing wounded veterans could be hard on some people, and in some cases it didn’t affect a person at all, which was somehow worse.

  He wasn’t testing Ophelia, not exactly, but he did need to see how she handled his world. He and Noah belonged with the veterans, and helping them mattered. Any woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with would need to understand this part of him, as well as the wounded men and women who’d served this country.

  “You ready?” he asked her.

  “Of course.” She handed him Noah’s leash, and they headed for the entrance. The usual gathering was in the lobby, waiting for Noah to arrive at his expected time.

  “They’re really all here for him?” Ophelia asked.

  “They are. When we serve in dangerous locations, we have trained working dogs with us. I can’t quite put it into words, but a dog makes you feel like you’re home. Safe. It makes the soldiers feel more connected—to the dog, the mission, and each other. When they see Noah here—I don’t know, it just helps the emotional healing somehow.” His throat constricted as he explained. He’d always known it in his gut, but he’d never been able to put it into words until now.

  “It’s incredible.” Ophelia’s tone was one of genuine pride. Ever since the attack, she’d lost all fear of Noah, and he’d taken to following her around whenever he wasn’t under orders to stay put. Their unlikely alliance had Colt smiling.

  “Well hello there, stranger.” Nancy walked over to him. “I thought you’d forgotten all about us.”

  “Not in a million years,” said Colt.

  Her eyes lit up when she saw Ophelia. “Is this who I think it is?”

  “Nancy, this is Ophelia. Ophelia, this is Nancy.”

  Ophelia smiled. “It’s so nice to meet you. Did you serve with Colt?”

  “No, but we’ve known each other for a couple of years now. Ever since he started coming to the center.”

  “I didn’t know he’s been coming here that long.” Ophelia looked to him in amazement.

  “Yeah, he started coming here almost the day he moved in.” Nancy nudged Colt playfully.

  “It felt a bit like home being around the other vets,” Colt explained. “I didn’t feel the need to hide or put up barriers.” He couldn’t believe he was admitting that to Ophelia, but he wanted her to know why thi
s place mattered to him.

  Nancy caught a passing veteran with a wave. “Hey, Jeremy, why don’t you introduce Ophelia to the guys?” Ophelia left with Jeremy, holding Noah’s leash, to meet Colt’s friends.

  “So, let’s hear it.” Nancy looked at him expectantly.

  “Hear what?”

  “Admit it—I was right. You took my advice and got back into the game. And damn, honey, you did good. She’s as sweet and adorable as you said.” Nancy patted his arm.

  Colt smiled. “She’s also brave as fucking hell. She was attacked in a home invasion a month ago. Almost died, but she came back even stronger. She’s not even bitter. She’s like a breath of fresh air, but . . . like air I can’t live without. That doesn’t make sense, does it?”

  Nancy’s eyes softened. “Sure it does. You love her, simple as that.”

  “I do. I think I fell in love with her from the start, but when she was lying in that hospital bed, I realized I was all in for her.”

  “All in is good.” Nancy gave him a push. “You better go rescue your girl before all those handsome soldiers start hitting on her.”

  Colt joined Ophelia, who was talking to the vets and asking them about their families and their interests and how their recovery was going. She fit so perfectly into his life. He never imagined that he would feel that way after Talia, but with Ophelia it was simple. He loved her. She loved him. Everything else was just details.

  When they were done and leaving the center, Ophelia slid her hand into his. Noah trotted at their side as they walked back to the truck.

  “You didn’t mind seeing the vets?”

  “No. They’re amazing, like you.” She smiled. “Speaking of vets, my dad wants to meet you and see the center, if that’s okay. He and my mom are coming to visit next weekend.”

  Colt chuckled. “Sure. After my three tours overseas, I think I can face a protective dad, so long as you’re at my side.”

  She giggled. “I told him he has to behave, since I’m crazy in love with you.”