Page 46 of Guarding the Singer

But still, he stood there, watching over her as she lay in bed.

He'd wondered before, what she wore to sleep.

Covered as she was in her blankets, he wasn't going to find out tonight.

The realization didn't bother him.

He... cared for her, but he wasn't about to try and take it to the next step. Not when she was struggling. Worried.

And to be honest with himself, he didn't want to cross that line knowing that this was temporary.

He wasn't like Ares and Heather.

They'd been in love before they'd been placed in each other's lives again.

Sure, he'd known Selene before, but nothing at all like Ares and Heather. The day they'd spent together was just that, a day.

William moved to the door off of the bedroom. He opened it up and saw a closet to the left and the bathroom to the right.

It had been remodeled since it had been built, likely to provide more room for the homeowner.

He opened a small closet on the bathroom side and saw stacks of linens.

Reaching down he picked up blankets and walked out of the bathroom to set up a place to sleep only to see Selene awake and looking at him.

"Sorry," she sighed and wrapped her arms around her pillow, "I fell asleep waiting for you."

The sound of her voice was already musical, melodic, beautiful.

But roughened by sleep?

It sounded like...

Sex.

William lowered the blankets he was holding so he was holding them between them. It might be half a moon outside, but it was enough light for her to see.

"I didn't expect you to wait." He smiled at her as her eyes were drifting closed. "I checked the security system and everything is great."

"Hmm... 'kay."

He shook his head and moved toward the door with his blankets.

"I left you space."

He stopped and looked back to the bed.

Selene had turned over, facing the door. Her hair was falling over her face and she lifted a hand to brush it back. "If you want to sleep on the floor," she yawned, "I think it gets really cold."

Her eyelids were heavy, but she was trying to keep them open.

"I don't have my change of clothes yet. Badger-"

She yawned again. "You'll have it in the morning... get some sleep."

Selene tapped her palm on the empty half of the bed closest to him.

"We have an early call..."