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When we finally make it back to the cabin, both of us are worn out. I grab Mia’s suitcase out of the back, wrap my arm around her, and we trudge up the path to the front door.
“I’m dead,” Mia says with a deep sigh.
“Need me to carry you to bed?”
“Mmm…” she hums. “That’s very tempting, but I’m afraid I won’t get much sleep if that happens.”
I pull her into a hug in front of the door. “Probably right.”
We head inside a few moments later. Mia’s in front of me as I wheel her suitcase behind me. With the rest of the house asleep, we try to keep quiet.
“I’ll show you to your room,” I say, pausing as I sit down on the bench and remove my shoes. We’d agreed that it was probably for the best to sleep separately for tonight—at least until I talk with Damon.
“Won’t be a need for that,” Damon says, rising from one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. “I’ll make sure Mia gets where she needs to go. You’ve helped enough tonight.”
The air’s chilly as I share a look with Mia. That lively expression is gone as all color drains from her face.
“I’ll take care of this,” I whisper.
She nods. Her fingers brush over my hand as she reaches for her suitcase and then heads for Damon. He wraps his arm around Mia, grabs her suitcase, and they head upstairs.
I finish taking off my boots and then head upstairs to check in on Luke. He’s fast asleep, but as I make my way to his bed I trip over something on the floor. A couple of somethings. Thankfully it’s not a pile of Lego pieces, but one yips, and the other squeals.
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath. “Shhh,” I whisper, trying to calm down Oink and his puppy pal.
Oink settles, but not before the puppy pees all over the ground and Luke wakes up.
“Dad?” he says, sitting up in bed.
I sigh, making a mental note to come back and clean up the pup’s accident.
“Sorry, Luke. Just wanted to check in on you.”
“Are you and Mia okay?” he asks, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Just fine. Looks like Oink’s doing well.”
Oink and his friend are nestled together again on Oink’s bed.
“He and Bandit are best friends. Can we keep him?”
I ruffle Luke’s hair. “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
He sighs. “Okay. I’m too tired anyway.”
“Night, bud. Sorry to wake you.”
Luke yawns. “Night, Dad.”
Nerves rise as I shut the door and then make my way back to the living room. Reid’s cabin is massive. The great room at the center of it is wide open with long timbers and expansive windows, but I’m afraid that it’s going to feel a little claustrophobic with me and Damon in it.
I’m not sure what to expect, but as soon as I come down the stairs and see Damon seated in the same chair, I won’t have to wait long. I’ve known him a long time, and I know when it comes to Mia, he’s as protective as an older brother comes.
“Barely been a week,” Damon says as I approach. “You move fast, Wyatt.”
I sink into the chair next to him, his dark outline in my periphery. Neither of us is looking at each other. We’re focused on the fire as it slowly dies in front of our eyes.
“You know that’s not true. I’d be married or at the very least been on more than a handful of dates.” I laugh. “Shit, I haven’t slept with anyone since Lena and that was years ago.”
