Instead, she clung to him a little tighter, letting the warmth of his body and his addicting scent lull her to sleep.
Seven
Tank spent most of the evening with a sleeping Hunny pressed flush against him, the soft swells of her breasts cushioned against the hard muscles of his chest. Her sweet scent enveloped him as the TV droned on in the background, practically static in his ears as he instead listened to her soft breathing, her warm breath skating over his exposed neck. He hated it, or rather, hated how anticipation burned in his gut each time her breath kissed his skin.
It was torture, pure and simple.
At some point after she’d cried herself to sleep, she’d moved to get more comfortable, settling herself more firmly into his lap. He’d gotten hard instantly, his dick like a steel monster trying to punch free of his clothing. It didn’t help that every time he inhaled, her delicious scent filled his lungs, keeping his desire simmering for the last few hours. His erection hadn’t gone down, not once, but she hadn’t noticed it at all, peacefully slumbering in his arms.
Thank fuck for that.
As it was, he was afraid to move, to do anything to alert her to the literal dickhead that refused to take a hint that now wasnotthe time. Hunny required tenderness and care, and although Tank was terrible at administering both, he was determined enough to try.
So his dick needed to fuck right off.
He took another deep breath, counting in his head until he reached one hundred. It did nothing to quell his desire. So he counted again, gritting his teeth as Hunny rubbed her cheek along his shoulder in her sleep, her fingers playing with his thick dusting of chest hair. She mumbled something and he lost count, studying the gentle curve of her face instead.
He should get up, put her to sleep in his bed, and go out. As the enforcer for tonight, he needed to do a perimeter check along his clan’s territory in the next few hours. The run would help him clear his head. But he didn’t move, not yet. Tank closed his eyes, enjoying the faint sounds of his little rabbit.
I’ll get up in a minute,he thought lazily, laying his hand on top of Hunny’s.Just a minute.
Aloud bang startled Tank awake.
He jolted forward on the sofa, his arms wrapping around Hunny’s back when she almost slid right off of him. She gave a surprised squawk, her nails digging into his shoulders and her thighs squeezing around his waist.
“What the hell was that?!” she exclaimed, her voice thick with sleep. “Henry?”
“Dunno,” he rasped, holding her closer as he rested his head in the crook of her neck, breathing her in. He enjoyed hearing his name on her lips. No one ever called him anything other than Tank, so hearing his birth name felt …intimate. Something shared just between the two of them.
Hesitantly, her fingers slipped through his hair, massaging the base of his neck as he cradled her to him. How long had he slept? It felt like more than a handful of hours because, for the first time in years, he actually felt well-rested.
Birds chirped outside, and his brow furrowed in confusion. His eyes shot to the nearest window, at the sunlight streaming in through the glass. “Fuck,” he growled.
He’d slept the whole night like this!
“What—” Before Hunny could finish her question, he gently plopped her onto the couch beside him, pushing to his feet.
“I missed my patrol,” he answered gruffly, frustrated with himself for his lack of control. He should have known holding Hunny like that was dangerous; she calmed him too much, made him relish the simplest little things—like the sound of her breathing as she slept.
Another loud bang sounded, much easier to pinpoint now that he was conscious. Grumbling under his breath, he beelined for the front door. Aggravated, he ripped it open, fully expecting Murphy to lay into him for missing his shift. What kind of cruel punishment would Murph conjure up for his mishap?
“Oh! There’s my baby boy,” Tabitha Sinclair declared loudly, gently tapping Tank’s cheek as she pushed past him and into the house, her youngest son, Jasper, following directly after her. “I heard you might need some help today, Tank.”
“I thought I was your baby boy?” Jasper asked with a frown, nodding at Tank in greeting as the two of them walked into his home like they owned the place.
Tank’s upper lip curled in irritation. They knew he despised having his home invaded like this, and yet they’d wandered their nosy asses right on in without invitation.
This had to be Murphy’s revenge, the evil fucker. Tank had to hand it to his older brother; this punishment was diabolical.
As much as he loved his mother and his little brother, Tank hated unannounced visitors. He required ample notice to charge his social batteries for any and every occasion, and heneverinteracted with people in the morning, finding it extremely taxing.
So far, Hunny had been the only exception; he felt good when she was near, no matter the time of day. It was odd, really. Her presence in his home didn’t feel like an intrusion, but an addition to it. Natural, even.
“Oh, dear, you know you—” Tabitha stopped in her tracks, a delighted squeal leaving her mouth as she spotted Hunny on the couch. “Oh! You must be the bunny shifter. What a beauty you are. Tank, isn’t she beautiful?”
Tank’s jaw clenched, unsure of what to say. Obviously, he thought she was beautiful. Breathtaking, especially with her hair a slight mess and her eyes drowsy, giving her a sultry appearance. But he certainly didn’t want to voice any of that out loud, neither did he want to make her uncomfortable.
Hunny sat awkwardly on the couch, her mouth hanging open as she reached for a throw pillow. She placed it on her lap, hiding her bare thighs from view. “I—” Clearing her throat, Hunny gave a forced smile. “Yes, hi. I’m Hunny.”