Page 94 of Bae

“I’m straight,” Romeo told him. “Thanks for everything tonight, man…” His voice faded away. “For getting us here.”

“Anytime, Rome.”

He said his good night to Trent and Drew, then allowed Ivy to lead him from the room. Their quiet voices floated off as they went.

Drew went over to the coffee pot that had just finished brewing, poured two mugs of coffee, added the creamer that was sitting nearby, and then turned toward us. “If you need anything, just call. We’ll come right up.”

“Will do.”

“C’mon, frat boy,” Drew said to Trent. “Let’s go home.”

Trent was looking at me like he wanted to say something, but at the same time he didn’t.

I looked up at Romeo. “Put me down.”

His upper lip curled, but the tone in my voice was not to be defied. The second I was on my feet, I surrendered the mug to my husband and closed the distance between Trent and me. My legs felt kinda like Jell-O.

“I’m really sorry. Please don’t blame yourself. This was not your fault,” I told him quietly.

His arms fell to his sides. “You shoulda called me.”

“I should have.” I allowed.

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and hugged me close. My eyes fluttered closed as I hugged him back. He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

I tightened my hold. “Thanks.”

After that, both Trent and Drew stepped out onto the back deck so they could walk down to their house.

Romeo and I were left alone.

“You’re mad,” I said.

He lifted an eyebrow. “You have no idea why.”

“I could guess,” I whispered.

“You’d be wrong.”

I stepped close to him, so close I had to tip my head back to look up into his flaming blue stare. “Then tell me, Romeo.”

He stared at me for the span of two heartbeats. I know exactly because I counted. Silently, he went to the coffee pot and turned it off. There was a small light on above the sink. He left it and started for the door. On his way, he picked me up again. He was so incredibly graceful. Not one drop of my cider spilled.

Our two dogs trailed along behind him (Prada went with Ivy) as he climbed the staircase and turned toward our wing.

“Bed,” he ordered both dogs the second he stepped into the bedroom, and they followed the command, lying in their gray, velvety beds.

They never listened to me like that. In fact, when Romeo wasn’t home, they slept in our bed. They hogged most of it, too!

Gently, he placed me on the bed, my legs dangling over the end. He took the untouched cider and set it away. Romeo dropped to his knees in front of me, pulling off my shoes.

“I need a shower. I was mid-practice when the call came in,” he spoke, setting them aside.

“Okay.”

I expected him to move away, to leave me on the bed while he went to the shower. Instead, he stood, picked me up for the thousandth time tonight, and brought me into the bathroom.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

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