Page 175 of Damaged Protector

I smiled as I started unpacking the soup and bread on the rectangular table beside my sister’s bed. “That’ll look good on you. Where’s Mallori?”

“In the bathroom.”

As I removed the napkins and plastic spoons from the bag, I heard the door open behind me. “Hey, Bee. Are you hungry?”

“I am. That smells delicious,” she replied.

“Good. I got us tomato basil and broccoli cheese.” I turned toward her. “Which one do—” All my words fizzled away into the ether. Just gone.

Mal looked up at me and rubbed a hand over the back of her hair. Her very short hair. Her blonde locks were now trimmed into a stylish pixie cut, the sides barely skimming her ears, and the top had a bit of a wave to it.

“Mallori made a donation,” Jennifer informed me. “There’s apparently a shortage of blonde hair.”

I nodded dumbly, my tongue feeling too thick to function correctly. My Little Bee had the perfect face for this style, her features small and delicate, while her eyes looked twice as big beneath the fringe of bangs.

Those eyes skittered away from me, and she bent to put her laptop into her backpack as Jennifer tapped my arm.

When I finally dragged my gaze down to her, she smiled. “I think I might take a nap before I eat. Why don’t you two head back to your hotel? It’s been a long day.”

“You sure?” I asked with a frown, and she nodded.

“Yes, go. That was fun, but it wore me out.”

I kissed her forehead. “You need to rest, party animal.”

Jennifer held my shoulders and whispered in my ear, “She’s amazing.”

My attention was inevitably pulled back to Mal, who was wrapping her computer cord around the plug. My god, she is gorgeous.

“I know,” I murmured before crossing the room to take Mallori’s backpack and loop it over my shoulder. Then I wrapped my hand around hers, and she inhaled a sharp breath before pulling her hand away. I fucking hated that she did that.

“I have to say bye to Jenn.” She darted back to the bed, and the two women shared a careful hug and a soft laugh. Mal returned to me, and this time, she didn’t pull away when I took her hand again.

Fuck. Yes.

I was having trouble keeping my eyes off Mallori as we walked toward the elevator, and I almost bowled some poor guy over. At least I think it was a guy. Who the fuck knew.

The hotel was only a five minute drive from the hospital, yet it seemed like a thousand miles because it meant I had to keep my eyes on the road. Mallori was uncharacteristically quiet, which gave me time to think.

She donated her hair. She cut off her long blonde locks because other women—like my sister—needed it. And Jesus fucking hell, it only made her more gorgeous.

Mal was still quiet as I opened the room door and pulled her inside. As soon as I set the backpack on the desk, she broke the silence.

“I know it was a drastic thing to do, but it’ll grow back.”

Stalking slowly back toward her, I stood and looked down at her, drinking her in as my dark eyes met her light ones. Everything about her was perfect.

She self-consciously drifted a hand over her hair again. “Do you hate it?”

I shook my head slowly. “No, Little Bee. I love it.” Then I took her precious face between my big hands. “I love you.”

And that’s when she tackled me.

Thank god I had my back to the bed because she knocked me off my feet—figuratively and literally—and landed on top of me. Her lips collided with mine, her tongue pushing aggressively into my mouth.

Holy fucking shit!

Small, soft hands slid over my shoulders and chest as Mallori attacked my mouth. “I… love you… too,” she said between kisses, and I could have happily died right then and there.

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