It’s ridiculous.
She hasn’t needed me all damn day. I wouldn’t be so out of my mind if she had.
I thrive on being needed.
Solving someone’s problems makes me feel fulfilled.
If she would let me take care of her, we’d both be happier.
The door to the sitting area opens, and my head whips up as I shove my phone into my pocket.
Vanessa barrels inside, kicking the door closed with her foot. She has a pile of laundry in her arms, and it’s so high that I can barely spot her eyes over the top of it. The moment she notices me, she squeaks and jumps. “Holy shit.”
I chuckle, shaking my head.
She’s really fucking cute.
“Would you like help with that?” I ask, nodding at the laundry.
She darts across the room, backing toward the door to the pack bedroom.
My head tilts.
“No. I’ve got it.” Her ass bumps the closed door, and she stretches an arm back, patting around for the handle. In her haste, she loses control of the pile, and the items go flying.
I cross the distance between us, squatting down to help.
My favorite T-shirt is tangled up with the sweats I wore when I went to sleep last night. Those were left in two different places. I know for a fact that T-shirt was tossed over my dresser and the sweats were in the laundry basket in my bathroom.
The navy-blue material under them looks familiar too. It’s the top sheet from my bed.
Vanessa’s hazel eyes are huge, and she rears back, falling against the door.
“Shit.” I reach a hand out, grabbing her arm to steady her. “Are you okay?”
What the hell is happening, and why does she look terrified? More importantly, what did I do to cause that kind of reaction, and how do I fix it?
“I’ll put it back,” she whispers, shaking out of my hold. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Did you steal my dirty laundry?” I ask, trying to put the pieces together.
Her eyes clench closed, and she nods. “Yours and Moretti’s. I couldn’t find anything else that smelled like Magnum, so I stripped the sheets off the pack bed.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” I murmur, dropping the clothes.
My hands hook under her shoulders, weaving around her back. It makes it easy to lift her with me as I stand.
She wraps her feet around my ass, burying her nose in my shoulder. A huge piece of me loves that she wants to besurrounded by my scent, but I’m also concerned that she didn’t seek me out directly.
Crossing the room, I take a seat on the awful couch.
Vanessa has to pull her feet from my backside, so I don’t squish her, and she ends up kneeling over me.
My workout left me sweaty and not smelling great, but her face rolls around my shirt like she can’t get enough.
“What’s wrong, sweet girl?” I weave my fingers into her hair, cradling her head as the other hand comes to rest on her lower back. “Are your instincts unsettled?”
She whines, burying her nose in my damn armpit.
