Page 11 of Phoenix

“Just in case you start feeling dizzy again,” he explained.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“How about you stay at my place, so Aggie doesn’t have to worry about you tonight?” he asked.

“Wait, I thought that you didn’t want me to stay at your place. You said that Aggie wouldn’t be upset or disappointed seeing me this way,” she reminded.

“And I meant what I said, but I can keep an eye on you so that Aggie can get some rest,” he offered.

“Don’t you need rest too?” she asked. “Besides, I don’t feel that bad. I think I’m sobering up.”

“Probably, but you’re lightheaded and you shouldn’t be alone,” he countered. Phoenix could tell that she wasn’t going to win this argument with him. Besides, she had dreamt of seeing the inside of Riggs’ home since she started spying on him in his bedroom.

“Fine, I’ll stay the night at your place, but I’ll sleep on the couch and I’m leaving at sunrise. I don’t want to worry Aggie by not being there for Lydia when she wakes up.”

“I’ve already texted Mrs. Aggie to let her know that you’re staying at my place. She said that she’ll see you tomorrow, but to let you sleep in. Mrs. Aggie said that you’ve been running yourself ragged and need to rest,” he said.

“Wait—you texted my grandmother?” she asked.

“Yep, she’s my friend and I just didn’t want her to worry all night about you not coming home,” he admitted.

“When did you text her?” Phoenix asked.

“While you were talking to Banshee,” he said.

“How the hell did you know that I’d agree to stay at your place?” she asked. He opened the passenger side of his pickup truck, and she slid up into the seat, still feeling a bit lightheaded.

“Because I’ve been told that I can be quite persuasive when I need to be,” he breathed. “Buckle up.” He shut the door, not letting her argue with him anymore and she let out a sigh. She wasn’t the kind of girl who sighed over a man, but for some reason, Riggs made her sigh. Hell, he made her swoon, but she’d never tell him that.

Riggs

Phoenix had passed out before he even pulled onto their street. He passed Aggie’s house, noting that all the lights were off except the one in Phoenix’s bedroom. He felt like a dirty old man for knowing that it was her bedroom, but he just couldn’t help himself. He saw her a few times in there when she had left the blinds open and the lights on. She never got undressed in front of the window, but every time he saw her, he held his breath wishing that she would. He was becoming a fucking Peeping Tom, and that was the last thing he needed Phoenix to find out about him. He didn’t want to lead her on and then disappoint her when he didn’t do a damn thing about wanting her. How could he? He was almost ten years her senior and even though she insisted that age was just a number, he didn’t buy it. Sooner or later, she’d get bored with him and want a younger guy. It was inevitable, but it was all he could think about when she asked him out. He was just saving them both from future heartache.

Riggs parked in his garage and cut the engine. He looked over at Phoenix, as though trying to decide what to do with her. He couldn’t leave her in his truck, and dumping her on the sofawhile she was asleep wouldn’t work either. What if she woke up in the middle of the night and needed a bathroom, or worse, had another dizzy spell and fell? He’d be on the second floor and probably wouldn’t hear her since he was a heavy sleeper. No, the only thing he could think to do with Phoenix was to take her up to his bed so that he could keep an eye on her all night. He had a feeling that he’d be up all night, anyway, just having her lying next to him.

He got out of his truck and rounded the front to Phoenix’s side. He tugged open the door and gently lifted him out. She snuggled into his body, and mumbled something about French fries, as he tried not to laugh. He carried her into the house and straight up to his bedroom. When he laid her on his bed, she made the sexiest little moans and when she said his name, he wanted to strip her bare and make her cry it out more. But that wasn’t what tonight was about. Tonight was about him taking care of her, and making sure that Phoenix was safe—period.

He looked her over and realized that she probably wasn’t comfortable in her tight black leather leggings, so he decided to slip them off her and then pull the covers over her body. He just never imagined that she would be wearing the skimpiest pair of panties that did nothing to hide her body. He couldn’t stop staring at her, no matter how much her being asleep while he was doing it made him feel like a pervert. Riggs thought about taking off her sweater, but it didn’t look too uncomfortable, so he left her in it and pulled the covers over her curvy body.

He was going to have to take a cold shower and then, hopefully, he’d be able to crawl into bed and keep his hands off Phoenix, but that was going to be a challenge since all he could think about for the past few weeks that she had been in town, was having her in his bed.

By the time Riggs showered and pulled on a pair of boxers, he felt exhausted. It had been a damn long week and with any luck,he’d be able to take the next two days off. It was his weekend off, but he was still on call. If he had his way, he would spend the whole weekend in bed with Phoenix, but he was getting ahead of himself. She wasn’t his—yet. Maybe she never would be, but every night, in his dreams, she was his. Having her in his bed had his head messed up and when Phoenix curled into his body, wrapping an arm over his chest, he couldn’t help but wrap her in his arms. He loved the feeling of her there, even if she was sound asleep and didn’t know what she was doing. On some level, he hoped that she did and that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Maybe he needed to stop fighting his feelings. Maybe a ten-year age difference wasn’t as bad as he imagined. Maybe he could learn to ignore the stares and whispers that everyone in town would give the two of them when they were out. He’d have to think about all of that in the morning because he was quickly falling asleep and holding Phoenix against his body was a guarantee that he was going to have the best night’s sleep that he had in a long time.

Riggs woke up to an annoying ringing that turned into banging, and then, a whole lot of yelling. “What the fuck?” he grumbled. He looked out the window and saw Mrs. Aggie standing on his front porch. She spied him peeking down at her and waved up at him. He held up a finger, telling her to hold on and she nodded. How Phoenix slept through the whole ordeal was beyond him. She must have been either really drunk last night or needed sleep. Either way, he didn’t want to wake her.

He pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt to run downstairs. Riggs pulled the front door open to find Mrs. Aggiestanding on the porch with little Lydia standing in front of her. “Is Phoenix here?” she whispered, covering Lydia’s ears.

“Is everything ok?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Phoenix’s grandmother that she had spent the night in his bed—even if nothing happened between them.

“No,” she whispered, “I just got a call from Vindicator, and he is in the emergency room. He had a bike accident, and he swears that he’s not hurt, but I’d like to check on him. Plus, when he’s released, I promised to give him a ride home.” Riggs knew that Mrs. Aggie had a thing for Vin. She usually showed up down at the bar, every chance that she got, and sat up at the bar talking to him. He thought that they made a great couple, even though Vin insisted that they weren’t.

“Do you want me to drive you to the hospital?” he asked.

“No, I want you to tell me if Phoenix is here,” she said.

“Oh, yeah, she’s here. Sorry, I guess I got sidetracked,” he admitted. “She’s still sleeping. Should I wake her?”

She looked down at Lydia and shook her head. “I hate to wake her. She barely sleeps as it is. I guess I can take Lydia with me.” He hated to make her take the toddler to the hospital.

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