Page 74 of Protector

“Celia?” He opened the door, hastily rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “I just—I—”

“Hey, it’s alright. I’m here.” He walked over and knelt beside the toilet, taking my hand in his while somehow remaining oblivious to the fact that we were both still completely naked.

“It’s nothing. I just saw some blood and freaked out. Sorry to wake you—”

“You on the rag, or…” He trailed off and looked up at me helplessly. “Fuck, I don’t know.”

I mashed my lips together. “I think that—it’s just—this is really awkward—”

Suddenly wide awake, he moved in front of me. “You okay, princess? Do you need me to call a doctor?”

Mortified didn’t even begin to cover it.

My face heated as I blurted, “I think it’s just been a really long time since we’ve had… relations and there might’ve been some tearing. It’s not a big deal and before this wouldn’t have even been an issue, but—”

“You saw the blood, and it took you back,” he finished for me.

I nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t fuckin’ apologize…” He grinned. “Well, I take that back. You called what we did ‘relations.’ I feel like I’m owed an apology for that one.”

He swatted my thigh and stood up. “Come back to bed.”

I let him get to the door before admitting, “I could watch you walk away all night.”

Jamie looked back over his shoulder with a grin. “You starin’ at my ass?”

He flexed his muscles when I nodded, and I chuckled before adding, “I like your ass… a lot.”

“Got a dirty mouth on you, darlin’. I like it.”

I almost expected to see the old me reflected in the mirror above the sink as I washed my hands, but the warrior met my gaze instead. I stared until her lips curved up in a playful smirk, bringing with it the realization that the girl Jamie fell in love with was still in there. She just wasn’t as soft as she used to be.

He was sitting up in bed when I returned. “All good?”

I pulled the covers up around my body and settled in at his side. “All good.”

“Today’s been a lot for you.” He stroked my shoulder, and I brought my head down to rest against his chest.

“You know,” I said, my jaw stretching wide with a yawn. “I can’t remember the last time I slept this good. I have this weird routine where I get up every hour and check all the locks. Then, it’s like every little noise makes me jump.”

His body tensed beneath mine and I lifted my chin, straining to see him in the dark. “What’s wrong?”

“Just thinkin’,” he said quietly. “Wish I would’ve been there for you—”

“You were,” I cut in. “There were so many times I asked myself, ‘Celia, would Jamie be scared of a cicada in the kitchen window?’”

His chest rose and fell in a deep belly laugh. “Fuck yeah I would. Those fuckers are nasty. And how many times did cicadas get in the house that you had to ask that?”

I punched his shoulder playfully. “I was using that as an example. It only happened once or twice.”

“Hey, princess?”

“Yeah?”

He mashed a button on his watch, illuminating the face. “You know it’s only nine o’clock, right?”

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