Page 62 of Guarded Rebellion

“Rurik said she’s doing all right.”

She gave me a mischievous smile. “I kind of wonder if he’s got a little crush developing there.”

“Rurik and Kelly?” I huffed a laugh. “He’s committed to the family. To the Boss. He’s not in any mood to settle down.”

She sobered, sipping her water. “Neither am I,” she muttered.

I let that slide, realizing she’d said it so softly that she probably didn’t intend for me to hear it.

We finished eating in companionable silence, but when we took the dishes to the kitchen and washed them together, our conversation continued on to other topics. We discussed things about the family, loosely, then we bickered and teased each other about trivial things we’d noticed as roommates the last couple of months.

A steady innuendo lingered at the surface, but we simply spent the evening together as… friends. And it was more than anything I ever could’ve wished for. In a small way, just being with her was the balm I needed for my soul after the crushing isolation I suffered during my stake out and stalking experience with Yusuf.

After, though, she changed the mood by asking me one thing.

“Will you spend the night with me?” She stared me straight in the eye as she stalled near her door.

“You want me to sleep with you?” I asked.

She shook her head but stopped and nodded instead. “Just… be with me.”

“That’s different.” I followed her into her room, amazed that she could be opening up to me like this. Without any games, without any tricks. Just me and her, getting along.

“I’m enjoying your company,” she confessed casually as she sat on her bed, then moved to lie back against the pillows. Themanypillows.

“What is this?” I joked as I joined her, fighting a yawn after the long day of patrolling.

“Tired?” She laughed lightly as I removed more pillows from the massive pile.

“I haven’t slept well in a long time,” I said. “Not since my last assignment for the family. I didn’t sleeponthat job, either, and I haven’t had a chance to enjoy the comfort of my bed.”

“Sorry.”

“But this…” I closed my eyes as I situated another pillow behind my head. “Oh, fuck. This is it.”

She laughed, leaning against my side. I kept my eyes closed to savor the bliss of comfort, and I blindly lifted my arm so she could snuggle flush to my side. “Oh, this is it. ‘

“What?”

“This pillow.”

She snorted. “It’s just a pillow. A stuffed shape to rest on.”

“No. No, no, no. Never tell a man who’s had to sleep on the forest floor that a pillow isjusta stuffed shape.” I hugged her closer and inhaled her sweet scent, spicier from the seasoned steak stir fry she’d cooked for us.

“You haven’t been sleeping well because you haven’t had your preferred pillows?”

“Uh-huh.” My heart hammered faster as she laid her hand on my chest and stroked circles. Our shirts stayed as layers between my skin and hers, but it felt damned good.

“I never would’ve figured you to have such a specific requirement like that.” She sighed, cozying closer. “Are all your jobs that rough?”

“No. Not all of them.”This one is perfect. The best.

“Hmm.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to let you have this pillow back,” I quipped.

“Keep it,” she said around light laughter.

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