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I leaned over to grab the bottle and realized why the bed was so warm. Luna was pressed against my back, heating me like a warming pad. When I started to stir, she lifted her butt into the air and stretched her front legs like a cat before hopping off the bed.
Within seconds, Harris appeared, leaning against the door jamb. “How you feeling?”
“Better.” I yawned and sat up. “Sore, but warm and rested.”
“Good.” He held up a mug. “Can I get you some coffee or tea?”
“Coffee sounds good.” I glanced around the room, looking at the clock. “Is it really four in the afternoon?”
He grinned. “Don’t feel bad. I just woke up about an hour ago myself…and I hardly ever sleep.”
9
HARRIS
I shouldn’t have been watching Jesse sleep. And it definitely shouldn’t have been so arousing. But when he wasn’t aware that I was looking and I could just stare, it was hard to imagine how he could get messed up with someone as dangerous as his ex. Then again, the fact that he was sleeping in my house, a stranger who had already murdered a man in cold blood, might have been an indicator that he didn’t have a strong sense of self-preservation.
He looked so peaceful with his hands tucked under his face and the freckles on his cheeks barely visible in the dimly lit room. It was strangely sexy.
There was just something so innocent about him, even though he was clearly not a virgin. In fact, he probably had more past partners than I did.
Ugh. That thought didn’t sit well in my gut.
But past partners were irrelevant.
I had a very specific kink, and most men did not fit it. The odds of Jesse being interested in what I needed were pretty slim, and none of that even mattered at the moment. What did matter was that he healed up without an infection and was finally safe from whatever demons had been chasing him.
And with just a few hours of rest, he looked a thousand times better.
I filled a mug with coffee and added a scoop of cocoa and some creamer to cut the bitterness. That late in the afternoon, he didn’t need the extra caffeine, but he deserved something sweet after everything he’d just survived. Before leaving the kitchen, I filled another mug with the chicken noodle soup I’d warmed up from a can. Tony said he might not have much of an appetite for a while, but I wanted to keep Jesse nourished as much as possible.
In fact, without the ability to do much else for him, making sure he kept up his strength and didn’t get weak or lightheaded was my singular focus. I was able to coax him into taking a few bites at breakfast before the painkillers started to really set in, but once they did, he could barely keep his eyes open.
When he’d dozed off on the drive, I imagined carrying him inside and taking him straight to bed.
But I couldn’t be thinking that way. I was basically a stranger who’d picked him up off the side of the road. I had no right to offer anything more than food, shelter, and safety until he was on his feet.
I brought the tray from the kitchen into Jesse‘s room, and he was sitting up on the bed. Luna was sprawled across his lap, pinning him to the mattress. “You can tell her to move.”
Jesse smiled and shrugged. “I’ve never had a dog. It’s kinda nice.”
“Well, she’s gonna have to scoot over a bit for you to eat.” I snapped my finger and pointed to the foot of the bed. “Luna, scootch.”
She hopped up and off the bed, disappearing out of the room.
“Aww, you hurt her feelings.” Jesse smiled. “She’s probably gonna go pee in your shoes.”
“She better not.” I waited for him to situate himself against the headboard before placing the tray on his lap. “I have cocoa coffee and soup. But I can order in anything you want, if you’d prefer.”
“Wow, thank you.” His eyes went wide as he looked at the modest spread. “This is so…nice.”
A warmth spread in my chest, but I kept my expression stoic. “It was nothing. Just following the doctor’s orders.”
He glanced at me from under long lashes, making the warmth spread southerly. “It wasn’t nothing. You’ve been…everything. And I really appreciate it.”
I’d never been good at accepting gratitude, so I cleared my throat and took a step back. “Don’t mention it. I’ll just—” Before I could finish my sentence, Luna jumped back on the bed and dropped a tape dispenser onto Jesse’s hand.
“Um, thanks, Luna.” He picked up the tape and looked at me. “Scotch tape?”
