Page 33 of Patching Over

I help her out, hand her the carrier, then grab the important items so I can get her settled in my room. Walking through the common area to my room, I ignore my brothers and concentrate on the diminutive female beside me. I can already feel myself calming from the near panic I was in as I raced to her apartment. I notice my room is warmer than what I thought it was, then see my cut hanging up and realize Phantom came up and turned the heat up a bit.

As she slowly starts taking off each layer, it dawns on me she doesn’t have a heavy winter coat on, just the light one I saw her put on before we left. “Where’s your winter coat, Sprite?” I ask.

She drops her gaze from mine then I see her inhale deeply before she looks at me once again. “I hadn’t bought one yet, Brick. Cassie and I planned to go this weekend because one of the stores was having a sale.”

“Didn’t she tell you that the weather gets a bit unpredictable this time of year?”

“Yes, but really, where do I go? Downstairs which I can reach from inside the bar, where I clean. Then literally across the street to the tattoo shop. My hoodie and this windbreaker are perfectly fine for that, Brick.”

She continues removing sweatshirt after sweatshirt until she’s down to one. Seeing the pile on the corner of the bed, I start laughing. “Sweetheart, how on earth did you manage to put three more shirts on top of the one you were already wearing?” I finally get out.

Shrugging, she says, “I like them slightly larger than normal so until the last one, it wasn’t all that hard. Here, let me do that.” She walks over to where I was trying to open the cat carrier, crouches down and while crooning to the two inside, adeptly opens it then moves back. “Where should I set up their litter box?”

I think about it for a few minutes then decide the bathroom is likely the best place. “Let’s put it in there,” I reply, pointing to the corner of the bathroom that is currently housing my clothes hamper. “I can move the basket of laundry, so they’ve got plenty of room.”

“I’ve been researching automatic litter boxes,” she advises, picking up the box and litter then walking into the bathroom. “I don’t really like scooping it out, but I’m waiting for the one I think I want to go on sale. The customer service lady I spoke with said they do it frequently and to keep an eye on their website.”

Once again, pride fills me only this time, it’s because of what she’s telling me, not what someone else has. “Proud of you, Sprite.”

“Really? Why?” she asks, turning from her current task to look at me.

“Because for so many people, what was done to you would’ve destroyed them completely. Yet here you are, living life, learning new things, figuring out how you want to live your life.”

She washes her hands after making sure both kittens know where their bathroom is located, then comes toward me. Stopping directly in front of me, she looks up then says, “It’s because of you. You and your brothers. I had no hope left and honestly thought I was going to die out there. All alone, broken, battered, and unloved. Y’all found me, healed me, gave me somewhere to live and work so I could earn money, and never made me feel like I was stupid or less than.”

Taking her in my arms, I kiss her thoroughly until we’re once again breathless. “You did your part too, Rayleigh. You never gave up when so many others would’ve thrown in the towel.”

“There were times when it might’ve been easier for me to do that if I’m being honest, but when I found those two,” she says, pointing at the cats who are currently climbing the comforter on my bed, “I realized I needed to figure shit out because they were depending on me. I’ve never had that before.”

I’m about to reply when I hear her stomach growl. Since her hands are still somewhat cold, I state, “I’ll go down and fix us a tray of food. Why don’t you take a hot shower and warm up some more?”

“Thanks, Leathyr,” I say as she ladles more stew into a second bowl. She’s already buttered several slices of her homemade bread, and added what looks like cheesecake.

“You’re welcome, Brick. I saw you coming in with your ol’ lady and figured you’d be down to get y’all some food.”

Nodding, I take the tray ladened with bowls, bread, cheesecake, and silverware and make my way back to my room. My only intent now is for us to eat then curl up together.

CHAPTER

SIXTEEN

Rayleigh

I initially wake up unsure where I’m at until I feel the heavy arm across my waist. Smiling, I slowly turn so I’m facing the man who takes my breath away. I have to hold back my giggle when I see that both Calvin and Hobbes have defected from their normal positions and are curled around his shoulder, purring in their sleep. I wish there was a little more light in the room because I desperately want to capture this moment with a picture, but don’t want to wake any of them up with the flash of my camera. Right now, I have hundreds of pictures, as well as a few videos, of the kittens, but I long to add pictures of Brick, even if only for my own perusal. Despite worrying that he would want more than kisses, he never pushed for more, but I now feel his hard length pressed against my belly. Warmth floods my body when I realize where my thoughts have strayed, thanks to all the books I’ve been reading.

He always looks so fierce when he’s awake, probably because of the position he holds in the club, but right now, his brow is relaxed, and he looks at peace. I gently reach out and runmy finger down his cheek, liking how the scruff that’s appeared overnight feels against my skin.

“You keep that up and you’re going to find yourself getting more than you bargained for,” he rumbles out, his voice low and husky. Glancing upward, I see his eyes on mine.

Molten heat swarms my belly and I feel wet between my legs. Thanks to Cassie, I know what it is because otherwise, I’d be mortified. “I’m not sure what you mean,” I murmur.

The heat from his body sears me through my pajamas, which are much thinner than sweats. “I think you have a good idea what I’m talking about,” he replies, lightly grinding himself against my center and causing me to catch my breath at the sensations coursing through me. “Don’t want to push you into anything, Rae.”

“I know, Brick, but what if I’m wanting you to?” I ask.

“If we do this, if I claim you, that’s it, Rayleigh. You’re forever mine, do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I’ll always be forever yours, Brick.”

---