The word echoes in my head.
I stare at him. “That’s… five days.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Five days.”
My heat took five days.
I really look at him then. The wrinkled shirt he must have slept in. The faint crease on his cheek from pressing into a pillow. The way his shoulders slope just a little, like he hasn’t truly rested in a while.
“Have you been staying here?” I ask.
He lets out a quiet laugh. “Where else would I be staying?”
Something in my chest loosens at that answer, tension I didn’t realize I was holding finally easing.
“Come here,” he adds, stepping forward before I can overthink it and pulling me into a hug.
I melt into him instantly.
His scent hits me full force now that I’m this close. Cedar and bergamot and clean sweat and something unmistakably Dorian. It sinks into me, making my knees weak in a way that has nothing to do with heat.
Why does he smell so fucking good?
His hand slides up my back, fingers threading gently into my hair. He strokes in an unhurried way that tells me he’s right here with me.
I rest my cheek against his chest, listening to the sound beneath it, letting myself just exist there for a moment.
I lift my head, and his fingers trace my cheek, then my neck. His touch pauses over a bite mark, thumb brushing lightly, thoughtful.
I gasp before I can stop myself.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, pulling his hand back.
“No,” I say quickly. “It’s just… sensitive.”
He nods, eyes darkening, but he doesn’t push. He gives me space without pulling away completely.
Then reality crashes back in.
“Today’s the farmer’s market,” I blurt.
He blinks. “How the hell do you even remember that?”
“I was supposed to meet my delivery guy,” I say, words tumbling out. “And I didn’t confirm anything and what the fuck and?—”
“Hey,” he says calmly. “Wren is taking care of everything.”
My breath stutters. “My best friend,” I whisper.
He nods. “She’s been here. Checked on you. She’s the one who brought the berries.”
Tears sting my eyes before I can stop them.
Of course she did.
“Hey,” he murmurs, lifting his hand to my face. “Hush, sweetheart. You’re just coming down from the heat. It’s morning. You don’t need to worry about anything else right now.”
I sniff and nod. “Okay.”
