Page 84 of Mine to Protect

“You okay out here alone for a few minutes?” Cas asked as he tucked his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “I need a quick shower. Peters is right outside.”

At my hesitant nod, he stripped off his black T–shirt and tossed it into a laundry hamper in the corner of the room.

Sounds of the faucet turning, water streaming from the shower, and him stripping from the rest of his clothes were evident through the bathroom door he left slightly ajar. As the water shifted, indicating he’d stepped in, I inched closer to the edge of the bed to have a direct line of sight into the bathroom.

A bit creepy, yes, but he was the one who left the door open.

Only his large shadowed form showed through the opaque shower curtain, but it was enough. Maybe it was my brain’s attempt to forget the trauma from last night, or the ever-present danger I was in, but I needed him. I squeezed my thighs together at the memory of his tongue and fingers teasing me inside and out.

This was crazy. I was a dead woman walking. My best friend almost died last night. Heck, I didn’t even know how I got in this room, but there I lay in his bed, panting with want. Only for him.

The shower shutting off sent me scrambling back under the covers. Towel around his hips, another rubbing against his shaggy light brown hair, Cas stepped into the bedroom, eyes on me.

“Hi,” I said with a little wave. A blush heated my cheeks as I took in his defined chest and abs. Chest hair covered his pecs and trailed down below the towel. He wasn’t hairy by any means, but it also didn’t look like manscaping was something he ever considered as an option. It looked masculine—like him. Everything about him pulsed all man. From his tattoos to the now-full beard and thick, muscular legs, every inch was as strong and intense as the rest of him.

“How are you feeling this morning?” he asked over his shoulder as he dug through a black duffel bag on the floor. I stared at his perky, firm ass shoving against the white towel, distracting me from his question. “Alta?”

“Huh?” I responded, still staring. When he didn’t respond, I tore my gaze from his backside only to find his dark eyes alight with humor.

“You seem okay,” he chuckled.

“Yeah,” I said, clearing my throat. “Chandler told me Benny made it through surgery, so I’m hopeful. Thank you for taking him last night. When can I see him?”

His broad shoulders rose and fell. “Going out isn’t the best idea for you right now. This guy is upping his game, and I don’t want you out there. Here we can protect you, take shifts, but there?” He shook his head. “Anything could happen, and I’m not willing to risk that. Soon though. I promise I’ll take you to him soon.”

Even though I understood where he was coming from, I still longed to see Benny for myself. Last night was terrible. The whole day was terrible, but with all the sorrow and hell going on around me, here in this room, everything settled. I settled.

“My head is killing me,” I grumbled. A slow throb had started the second I shifted to get a better view into the bathroom.

He hitched his chin toward the nightstand. “Bottle of water and two Tylenol already there for you.”

While I took the medicine and chugged the water, Cas tugged on a pair of boxer briefs and mesh shorts, only giving me a peek of his bare ass as he did.

Thirst quenched, I snuggled back down into the covers and rolled to my side, facing his side of the bed. Taking the hint, Cas crawled in, staying outside the covers, and lay on his back.

“I’m sorry about Benny.” He rolled his head along the pillow until those dark brown eyes met mine. “I really am. He’s a cool-ass dog, and I know you love him and relied on him to keep you safe. He’s a tough one though,” he said with a reassuring smile. “I have no doubt that dog will pull through.”

The pillowcase shifted beneath my cheek as I nodded. “Do we know… do they know what happened to him?”

He rubbed a hand along his ever-growing scruff as he thought over my question.

“Not positive, but looks like whoever broke in got through the front door, and then all hell broke loose. The blood in the cabin”—he winced—“suggested he was shot or stabbed there, then carried out into the woods, which I assume was to draw you out.”

“It worked.”

“No shit,” he grumbled. “I get why you wanted to run out there, but why? Why did you do it? You knew this guy’s play and still you did it. Thank fuck he wasn’t out there waiting for you.”

My eyes widened a fraction. Slowly I slipped my hand from under the sheets and held it close to my face like I was raising my hand in a classroom.

“What,” he deadpanned. “I don’t like that look.”

“Well, you see….” I ducked under the covers, tugging them tight around my head.

“Lady, get out here.”

I didn’t.

“Alta.”

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