Page 94 of Soul Food

I dangled like a noodle when he scooped me up. “What?” I mumbled.

“I’m taking you to the bathroom.”

My eyes widened. “How are you…?” I let my words die out when he sat me down on the toilet.

Oh. I understood now and looked away from him bashfully. “Thanks. I don’t think I could have walked.” When he stood there, I asked. “Could you step out so I can relieve myself?”

He crossed his arms and examined me with a scrutinizing stare, then frowned. I looked down at where he was staring and saw that my entire body was shaking. “I shouldn’t have taken you so many times. You should have said something.”

“And miss all those orgasms?” I smiled. “I feel like a noodle,” I admitted with a laugh. “But I’m fine. More than fine.”

He relaxed and stepped out the door. Once I was finished peeing, I tried to stand and my knees buckled. He stepped in where he waited by the door and helped me wash up before he carried me to my bed.

He was attentive and sweet right now, but I thought back and could remember all the other things he would do for me. He placed me in bed, naked I might add, but it still did stuff to my already fragile heart as he stood by the bed while my eyes threatened to close.

“I should go.”

I snapped my eyes open. “Stay.”

“I can’t control my form as well sleeping.”

“I don’t care,” I added quickly.

Maybe I saw it wrong, but his shoulders visibly relaxed as he climbed into bed with me.

He draped his arm over my waist, and I fell asleep with the demon.

I slept with a tranquility I had never known before. It started the moment we both let our guards down around one another.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

TIMBERLAND NEWS!

KY Entertainment president found dead in his home just two weeks after his daughter’s death. No information available at this time.

Ruth

I could hear my cell phone ringing in another part of the house. That’s what woke me as I took in the large arm enclosing me against Amit’s chest. I wiped my eyes as I leaned my head back to look at him. His eyes were open and gray this morning—or evening, I wasn’t sure what time it was.

How long had he watched me? I also noted that he wasn’t in his other form so he managed to keep his form while sleeping or had managed to change back before I awakened.

“It’s been ringing for a while,” the words rumbled off his lips, and my sore, traitorous body still responded.

“I should go check then. It could be important.” I raised his arm and got up. As I thought, my legs and thighs were sore and that was saying something considering how much I worked out in my free time. I stretched my arms and legs, naked by the bed, before I found his shirt and put it on.

My phone was in the hallway on the floor next to my purse. I answered as soon as I saw it was Jayne. “Hello?”

“There you are.” She sighed her relief in my ear. “Thought I was going to have to come check on you.”

“I was asleep,” I told her.

“With a certain someone?” I didn’t have to see her face to know she was grinning. “But that’s not why I called. You haven’t seen the news, have you?”

“No, what news?” I frowned.

“Brian James is dead.”

I froze, ice seizing my insides. “What?”

---