He squeezes my hand. “Have I told you how proud I am to have you as my mate?”
I smile at him. “Feel free to give me daily reminders.”
“Oh, I plan to.”
The scenery passes and sort of dulls, and I feel myself getting tired. I doze off and on as Reid drives. When we get back to the house, it’s late. “I thought we’d have to stay on pack lands,” I say wearily.
“Your dad gave us permission to stay here. There are enforcers already guarding the house, and Evie and Tessa are here. I thought you’d be more comfortable here, but we can go—”
“No,” I interrupt. “This is good. Thanks.”
“Wait here.” He’s out the door a moment later. I watch in the side mirror as he talks to the enforcers that followed us to make sure we got here safely. I figure my dad’s going to keep security pretty tight for a little while. I drop my head against the seat. I’m going to be lucky to breathe over the next few weeks. Reid’s at my door a moment later. He opens it and leans inside and pulls me up into his arms.
“I can walk,” I protest.
“I know. I’m doing this for me.”
I lay my head on his shoulder as he walks inside. “Riley!” I lift my head and see Tess and Evie surrounding us.
“Are you okay?”
“Oh, Riley!”
Reid’s arms tighten around me protectively. “I’m okay,” I tell them.
“She needs sleep,” Reid says, and both girls step out of our way. He walks past them, and I look at them over his shoulder.
“Slate and Zane shouldn’t be too far behind us,” I tell them. They both give me solemn nods, and I drop my head to Reid’s neck again. When we get to his room, he closes the door behind us and carries me right to the bathroom. He sets me down gently on the bathroom counter and starts the shower. He sticks a hand in and waits for it to warm before walking back over to me and bracing his hands on the sink on either side of me. “Let’s get you into the shower.” I wait for him to back up, but he doesn’t. I look up with a question in my eyes. His eyes are full of emotion; it surprises me for a moment. “Don’t ask me to leave the bathroom. I...” he shakes his head. “I can’t be away from you right now, especially not while you’re vulnerable in the shower.”
“Okay.” I tell him simply. I lean forward and kiss his cheek. When I start to climb down, he puts his hands on either side of me and lifts me gently to the ground. I walk over to the showerand pull back the curtain. Once I'm inside, I pull off his shirt and drop it outside the curtain. I thought it would be weird having him in the bathroom while I shower, but it’s just the opposite. I feel safe, and that’s a feeling I’m not going to take for granted for a very long time. I take my time washing my hair and my body. By the time I’m done, the water has started turning cool. I quickly shut it off before it gets too cold. Reid drapes a towel over the rod for me and I use it to put my hair up. “Do you mind...” I don’t finish the question before he drapes another towel over the curtain rod for me. I finish drying off just as he drops a shirt and a pair of his boxers over the rod. Once I put both on, I pull back the shower curtain and step out. A wave of exhaustion hits me so hard, I sway a moment.
“Whoa.” Strong arms come around me and lift me. I don’t have the energy to even lift my head, so I rest it on Reid’s muscular shoulder once again. With utmost care, he pulls back the blankets and sets me down on his bed. I start to lay down, but he stops me. “Hang on a sec.” He tugs the towel from my head and starts running a brush through my hair. The movement is soothing and makes me even sleepier. Before I realize what he’s doing, I feel his fingers gently tugging. It takes me an extra moment in my fatigue to realize he’s braiding my hair.
“You know how to braid hair?” I ask around a big yawn.
He leans forward and kisses my temple. “I’ve been learning.” A sudden image of him braiding another girl’s hair flashes through my mind, and I turn to him. “YouTube,” he says with a soft smile. He gently pushes me into a reclining position and pulls the covers up. He leans over me and kisses my forehead. “Get some sleep.” He stands up and starts to pull away, and panic shoots through me.
I reach out and snag his arm. “Will you stay with me?”
“Always. I’m just taking off my shoes.” I watch as he kicks off his shoes and then loses his shirt. I wish I were more awake to enjoy it; Reid has great abs. He slides into bed seconds later and wraps his arms around me and pulls me close. I lay my head on his chest and listen to the sound of his heartbeat. The steadiness of it helps to regulate and even out my breathing.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” I manage to say before I drift off.
He tucks a stray hair behind my ear and traces the shell of my ear. “I will always take care of you, Riley.” I think he might say something else, but I’m already out. I hear voices several times, but the rumble of Reid’s voice against my ear tells me he’s got it under control.
I sleep until I can’t sleep any longer. When I finally open my eyes, the sun is bright in the sky. I’m deliciously warm and comfortable. In my sleepy state, it takes me an extra minute to notice just why I’m so cozy. Apparently, I decided to use Reid as my body pillow last night. My legs are entwined with his, and my body is half on top of his with my head on his chest. I can feel his fingers in my hair, so I know he’s not asleep. My breathing must change because his fingers suddenly stop. I manage to pull back some. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to maul you in your sleep.” I try to move off of him and move to my pillow, but he drops an arm behind my back to keep me in place.
“You can maul me anytime you want, Baby.” His voice is deliciously sexy and low, and I am here for it. I move so that I can see his eyes. I don’t know that I’ll ever get over Reid looking at me with the look he’s giving me now. His smile slips away, and concern fills his eyes. “Hey, talk to me.”
I swallow hard. “I just can’t get over it.” I have to clear my throat.
“Get over what, Baby?” he asks, running a hand along my spine.
“You looking at me that way,” I tell him as I cup his strong jaw with my hand. “I just wanted it for so long and never thought I’d have it.”
He smiles, and it’s so beautiful, it’s almost painful. “Me too, Baby. And now, we’ll have a lifetime together.”
I lean down and touch my lips to his. He’s quick to respond. He rolls us over, so that he’s above me. He keeps his weight on his arms, so I don’t have to worry about being crushed, not that he would crush me. I’m made of tough stuff. He pulls back after some intense kissing, and it takes everything in me not to push for more. “You and I will be mated before the new year,” he says, running a hand through my hair.
