Page 59 of Trapped and Tackled

“I’ll be right here,” I promise.

She nods. “I’m going to…” She trails off, gesturing toward her chest.

“Right.” I turn around, giving her a few moments of privacy. When I hear the curtain close, I plop down on the closed toilet seat and wait for Leni to shower.

Her pink underwear and bra are on the floor, and I pick them up, moving them to the vanity next to the robe.

I don’t want to put her on the spot, but I want to know what the hell happened tonight. “You okay?” I check in.

“Yes,” she replies, her voice stronger than it was a few minutes ago. “I’m almost done.”

“Take your time.” I wait until she turns the water off.

She pops her head out of the shower and reaches for the towel. Her eyes find mine and a sheepish expression fans across her face. “Thanks for staying with me.”

“I’m here for whatever you need,” I tell her truthfully.

She ducks back into the shower and a moment later, pushes the curtain open.

The towel is wrapped around her body, one edge tucked into the space between her breasts to keep from falling open. It’s short, hitting her mid-thigh. Her blonde hair is darker from the water, falling down her back and clinging to her shoulder blades. Rivulets of water stream down her neck, drip from the ends of her hair, pool into the terrycloth of the towel.

Fuck. I avert my gaze. The last thing I should do is check Leni out. Especially after everything she’s been through tonight.

I clear my throat and gesture toward the robe. “I’ll step out.”

“I’ll only be a minute.”

I exit the bathroom and suck in a lungful of air. Between the steam, the image of Leni wrapped in a fucking towel, and the high emotions of the last hour, I need a second to pull my shit together.

Raking a hand through my hair, I use this time to pull a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top from my bag. I need to rinse off before I sleep but I want to make sure Leni is settled first.

She steps into the room a moment later, wrapped in the big, fluffy robe.

“You hungry?” I ask.

She shakes her head and yawns. “More tired than anything.”

“Right.”

She gestures toward the bathroom. “You want to shower?”

“Yeah.” I grab a pair of clean boxers from my bag and roll them up along with my pajamas. “You get into bed. I’ll crash on the floor and?—”

“What?” Leni shakes her head. “Talon, that’s ridiculous. It’s a king-size bed. It’s big enough for both of us.”

I shake my head. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. You had a rough night and?—”

“Please,” she cuts me off, stepping closer and placing a tentative hand on my arm. “I feel safe with you, Talon. You’ve never not made me feel safe.”

Her words are both a fucking kick to the chest and a healing salve to old wounds all at once.

“Leni…” My voice is tight. So are my fucking balls. I can’t sleep beside her when I feel this unsteady.

Angry as fuck over Toby. Worried as hell over her. And so damn curious about what the hell happened in New York.

“Please, Talon,” she pleads, her blue eyes bright with unshed tears. “Go shower,” she murmurs.

Sighing, I do as she asks. I don’t know if I’m capable of not giving into her. From day one, she’s been the only woman who’s had such a pull over me. Her innocence and her sweetness, at complete odds with the hardness that molded me, have been irresistible.

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