Conflict of Heart

Chapter 11

Jenny Walker gasped as she flew into a seated position, her heart beating frantically against her chest, her throat constricting painfully. Sweat coated her forehead, and her fingers trembled as she threaded them through her dark chocolate hair.

"Jenny?" she heard her husband's half-asleep but concerned voice mutter beside her as he shifted in the bed to sit up beside her, his dark hair poking up in odd angles from his sleep. "What's wrong?"

Jenny swallowed thickly and shook her head, closing her eyes to try and calm herself with slow, deep breaths. A moment later she felt Nathan's arms wrap around her and urge her to lie back down, murmuring soft words to her as he stroked her hair.

"It's okay. It was just a dream," he whispered as he ran his hand up and down her bare back in an effort to calm her.

Jenny nodded, soaking up his comfort like a sponge as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. It wasn't often that she had nightmares, but they did surface every once in a while. A shaky breath left her lips when she felt her husband start peppering small kisses along her neck, his strong arms wrapping protectively around her as he squeezed her close.

While Nathan wasn't as defined in terms of muscle as he had been when he was younger, the strength of his arms and powerful shoulders still felt like a warm, protective cocoon for her, always making her feel safe.

"You alright? Do you need something?" he asked after a little while as he looked down at her, their features barely illuminated by the moonlight drifting in through the curtains as he reached up to caress her cheek.

"I'm okay," she whispered. "Thanks."

Nathan replied with a soft kiss to her lips before rearranging her so that her back pressed against his chest, and his one arm coiled around her stomach while his other hand began caressing her thigh. They remained quiet for a while, Jenny growing lost in her thoughts as she so often did.

He drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of her clean skin as he continued his gentle caress on her thigh while his other arm held her close, relishing in the feel of her soft, warm skin against his.

"I've been meaning to ask you why you reacted like you did at dinner this evening," he eventually said in a low voice.

Jenny shifted, and a deep sigh left her lips. "Damien . . . just reminded me of someone, that's all."

"Who?" When she didn't respond, Nathan sighed. "Jenny, talk to me, please."

She shook her head, forcing a smile on her face as she looked at him over her shoulder. "No, don't worry. I've already thought about it, and I'm probably just being overly paranoid—as usual. You know how I get with the girls when someone is interested in them."

"Oh, I know, my fierce little mama bear, and I adore you for it," Nathan replied throatily as he began placing lingering kisses on her shoulder.

Jenny smiled as she basked in her husband's touch. It was times like these when she couldn't believe that she had been so lucky. He really was the perfect man for her, and one of her biggest fears was that her daughters would end up with men who were not perfect for them, who only wanted to use them for their money or body.

It was something that Jenny had instilled in them from the time they first started taking notice of boys; they must never feel pressured to give themselves up in any way to a man—no matter what words he spoke to them. Jenny could tell them from her own experience that if a man loved you enough, he would wait for however long it took. She knew this because her own poor husband had to wait until two years into their marriage for her to give herself to him completely.