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I turn back to my ever-present companion, my computer, making more adjustments. The camera outside of the penthouse comes up first, showing Geno standing in the hall outside the broken door. His twin .45s holstered in easy reach, his face somber, reflecting the seriousness with which he views his assignment.
After that it’s a cascade of monitors coming to life as I override whatever Dominic used to block the feed. I still haven’t figured it out, but I will and then I will make sure that no one is ever able to do it again. When the fifteenth floor comes back online it’s just in time for me to watch as Travis and Xavier push through the door to the same linen room that Ellie and I got blankets from earlier. Glancing at the clock on the screen I realize that was yesterday. It’s later than I realized.
Only a few minutes later there is a commotion in the hall as Weaver bursts out of a room and dashes to the door Trav and X disappeared through. Her gun is in her hand and her mouth is moving. Sound would be nice.
An agent dressed in black strides up beside her, gun at the ready, and then it’s over. I was not expecting Dominic to go down easy, but that’s exactly what happens. As I watch, stunned, he is led into the hall in handcuffs while Travis talks to Weaver.
It’s done, and I'm out of here. If Weaver wants to talk to me about anything, she can track me down when I get back. Shooting a text to Geno I let him know I’m leaving and lock up the security office behind me. It’s time to go be with my girl and tell her everything she needs to know. About tonight, and more importantly what she means to me.
Chapter 29
Ellie
I can’t place the soft rustling sound that wakes me from my restless slumber, and I roll over, looking at the glowing face of the alarm clock on the bedside table. It’s almost four in the morning. A quick glance across the room shows Auggie, illuminated by a small nightlight, sprawled out in his little bed with a pile of stuffed animals and his Spiderman blanket, sound asleep.
When the noise comes again, I swing my feet from under the covers, sitting up on the edge of the mattress and willing my fuzzy brain to work. A sliver of golden light glows around the bathroom door revealing the steamy cloud drifting out from the cracks. Someone is in my shower? I squint at the light, not quite comprehending what I’m seeing. Shoving the blanket still tangled around my hips into the middle of the bed I rise, preparing to tiptoe across the room.
“Mom?” I whisper, not wanting to wake Auggie and not sure who else would be in my bathroom.
I stumble back a step with a gasp and almost fall on my butt in my hurry to move away, when the door unexpectedly swings open.
“Babe,” strong hands catch my arms, holding me upright. “Didn’t mean to wake you up.” Blake murmurs, before brushing the wild tangle of my hair from my face, a tired smile on his lips.
His short hair is wet and slicked back from his lean face. Drops of water sparkle in the light dusting of hair on his chest that tapers between the defined ridges of his abs before disappearing below the waistband of a pair of grey sweatpants. His feet are bare, and I swear even they are sexy. He’s so delicious that my mouth waters with the need to taste him again. Suddenly I’m not so tired.
“I heard a noise,” I say dumbly, struggling to form a coherent thought while my eyes are roaming all over his naked skin and lower to the thick bulge behind the loose fabric. All it takes is one look for me to finally understand the allure of grey sweats on a man. My tongue slips out to moisten my suddenly dry lips and I swallow back the moan seeking to escape them.
“Elinor,” he rasps, “Baby, you have got to stop looking at me like that.” His eyes dart over my shoulder, landing on something behind me, then it hits me. Not something. Someone. Auggie is asleep not even ten feet away and here I am… eye fucking him like we are alone. I flush just from thinking the dirty word, but I
’ve got to call a spade a spade… and that’s what I was doing.
“Oh,” I squeak, realization washing over me. “Sorry. Guess I’m still mostly asleep. Are you okay?” I ask, my eyes finally taking in all of him. Especially noting the exhaustion lining his face and the heavy droop of his eyelids.
“Yeah, angel, I’m good. Just tired.” Of course he is. He’s been awake for almost twenty-four hours. Maybe longer.
I move, taking a small step away from him so I can straighten the covers. They are a mess from my tossing and turning. Motioning for him to lie down on the soft cotton sheets, I say, “Let’s get you into bed then.”
A pained moan is my only answer as he lays down and lets me pull the covers up over him. I’m burning up with the need to touch him, and to be touched by him, but Auggie’s presence and Blake’s obvious exhaustion drastically cool my ardor. Bending toward him, I lightly brush my lips across his cheek, loving the slight abrasion of his stubble under them. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Okay,” his voice is a sleepy mumble, fatigue already pulling him into the arms of sleep.
Tiptoeing from the room I sneak into the kitchen for a glass of ice water to help bring my temperature back down. I have the day off, thanks to Xavier, so there is no way I want to stay awake when I could be sleeping in. I just can’t go back and get in bed beside Blake as wound up as I am right now. And yes, by wound up I do mean horny.
“Buenos dias, mija,” my mother’s lilting voice whispers behind me and I spin to face her with a guilty smile that I’m positive must convey every naughty thought in my head.
“Hola, Mama.” I whisper back, cognizant for the first time that we have a guest sleeping on the couch just a few feet away. And with there suddenly being men in the house I will have to wear more than a camisole and booty shorts to bed.
“Blake is well?” she asks, moving to the coffee pot and turning it on.
I nod, “Yes. Exhausted, but unharmed.”
“John filled me in a little bit on what he does. Your man… he’s a hero, querida.”
Her praise warms my heart. I knew that she approved of him, but her words are spoken with so much love… there is no other word for it.
“He is, Mama.” I reply, unable to stop myself from smiling as I place my glass on the windowsill to use later. She nods thoughtfully.
“Go back to bed, Elinor. And get some more sleep.”
