He shrugs. “I saw you today. Chatting with the girls. Fitting right in at that table. I could tell by their faces that you weren’t diving deep with them. Weren’t sharing your struggles, and I get that. You don’t want to bring them down, which is bullshit, but it’s still new. I just need you to know that you’re safe to do that here once everyone goes home—however you need to do that. I’m a big guy. I can take whatever you’ve got.”
Oh, hell.
Tears burn the corners of my eyes, but I blink hard against them. “You’re being really sweet.”
“Not trying to be. I’m just laying it out for you. I know what it’s like. It took me a long time to open up to my brothers about the shit I see at work. To let some of that go. Your safety and peace were violated. I know that doesn’t feel good.”
Pressing my lips flat, I shake my head.
Sutton’s hand flinches in the space between us before he lets it drop to the duvet. “Just know that I get it, and in case I’m not the right person, those girls here today get it too.”
The silence hangs between us. Heavy and thick and filled with all the things unsaid.
Nellie shatters it by shouting, “All done!” prompting Sutton to leave the room.
A count of ten passes through my head before I follow like I do every night I nanny for him. Except I guess now, this will beour normal routine for the foreseeable future. I could keep my distance, but I know Nellie would never allow that.
Her door closes with a low creak once her pillow is fluffed and hugs are passed around. Sutton silently clicks off the hallway light, plunging us into near darkness. Without much sight, my body is much more aware of his presence. His heat lingers close behind me, a silent reassurance at my back. I trail my fingertips against the wall to help guide my path back to his room.
I need pajamas from my overflowing duffel bag by the wall and a place to lie downstat.
Sutton disappears into his walk-in closet, returning a moment later with a pile of fabric in his hands.
“Just a sec, and I’ll get out of your way,” I announce with my back to the room.
Blankets rustle behind me, followed by the sound of something soft hitting the floor. Jeez. He’s clearly in a hurry to climb into bed.
Turning around, I snap my spine straight. I clutch my change of clothes to my chest. “What are you doing?”
His large hands stretch a corner of the fitted sheet around the deep mattress. “Changing the sheets before bed.”
A hot, embarrassed flush races up my neck. “Go ahead and burn them too. I hear that’s the only way to truly clean up a biohazard.”
Sutton’s hands freeze around the last corner. His head snaps in my direction. “Here I thought you might not want to sleep in my drool, but if you insist, I’ll leave the pillowcases on.”
“Why would I be worried about your drool?”
“You’re sleeping in here,” he tells the pillow, negating his threat as he pulls on a fresh cover.
“No, I’m not.”
His steely eyes meet mine. “I’ll take the couch.”
“Do we have to fight over this? I can sleep on your couch.”
“I’m about to go up and enjoy a cold beer while I watch the baseball game. There’s a 90 percent chance I’ll fall asleep.”
“What about the futon you mentioned before? The one in your office.”
Sutton picks up what appears to be a clean tee shirt folded over what I assume are pants or boxers. “Only if you want to smell like dog. That’s where Merit sleeps.”
My eyes slide over to the king-sized bed. While I’m contemplating my choices, Sutton closes the distance between us.
“I want you to have the bed. It’s comfortable, and like I said, I’m probably going to fall asleep watching the game. But besides that, I know I’ll sleep decently, knowing you and Nellie are in the same place, and if something goes sideways, I don’t have to protect both of you in different areas of my house.”
“Do you expect something to go sideways?” Alarm raises the hair on the back of my neck.
The heat of his palm sliding across the side of my neck reduces the dread. “No. Not even a little. But part of being a good cop is staying prepared, and this is how I’m choosin’ to do that.”
