Damon presses a slow kiss beneath my ear. Then another. His beard scrapes lightly along my skin, sending a lazy shiver through me.
“You still with me, trouble?”
A sleepy smile tugs at my mouth. “Barely.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up, so I can get you to bed.” Before I can protest, he lifts me effortlessly into his arms. I make a soft sound of protest mixed with surprise, instinctively curling closer to him as he carries me toward the bathroom.
“You don’t have to?—”
“Yes,” he says simply, turning on the shower.
Steam fills the bathroom as he walks me into the shower. He sets me down gingerly, his knuckles brushing gently along my cheek as he walks me under the spray of water. I sigh softly as heat soaks into my sore muscles, washing away the sweat and the lingering evidence of our releases.
Damon smiles faintly before working the soap between his hands and smoothing them over my skin. “Turn around for me.” His large hands glide over my shoulders, then down my arms, washing me with care.
“You did good for me tonight, trouble.” His praise sends warmth spiraling through my chest. I don’t think he fully understands what those words do to me. Or maybe he understands perfectly.
His lips brush my forehead as he rinses me clean before reaching for shampoo next, working it gently through my hair while I stand there, half asleep against him.
“No one’s ever taken care of me like this before.”
A fierce intensity settles behind his eyes, and his hand slides gently around the back of my neck. “I couldn’t imagine not taking care of you.”
The water runs cool enough that Damon finally shuts it off despite my quiet protests. He wraps me in one massive towel before grabbing another for himself, drying us both with the same careful attention he’s shown me since carrying me in here.
By the time we step into the bedroom, I’m practically asleep on my feet. I mumble something unintelligible while climbing beneath the blanket, and the mattress sinks moments later as Damon slides in behind me. He settles onhis back and tugs me halfway across his body until my head rests upon his chest and one of my legs hooks loosely over his. The steady sound of his heartbeat thrums beneath my cheek, slow and grounding.
Damon’s fingers drift lazily through my damp hair as my eyelids grow unimaginably heavy. And for the first time in my life, I understand how one person can be someone else’s peace.
The first ring of the phone barely finishes before I answer, “Yeah?”
“Okay, so either I’m losing my fucking mind, or we have a serious problem.”
I pull the phone away from my ear for a second as he keeps rambling, staring at the screen for a second before putting it back to my ear. Mattis sounds like he’s halfway through a psychotic episode, barely holding on to the last thread of coherent speech.
In the background, I hear keyboard clacking and the sound of an energy drink being opened.A drink he very much does not need.
I lean back in my chair slowly. “Morning to you, too, Mattis.”
“No, listen… Listen, because I’ve been trying to call Hawk for the last twenty minutes, and he’s not answering, and I know he’s probably busy, but this is bad, Damon. Really bad.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“You really need to cut back on the Red Bull, buddy.”
“That’s not the point.”
“It’s definitelypartof the point.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Damon.” His voice sharpens, getting my attention.
I glance at my watch. “They’re probably in the middle of the summit,” I say. “Hawk won’t be able to answer until this afternoon.”
Mattis exhales a huff into the phone. “Yeah, I figured as much. Which is why I called you.”
