Page 46 of Hawke

But I wasn’t that person, now was I?

How could I make us both suffer like that when we both wanted each other? There had to be some other reason why he’d stayed away. Was I not pretty enough? Was there really another woman on the side that could fulfill his desires? The reason had better be good, and if it was another woman, I really would cut off his balls and hang them around my neck.

I just wish I didn’t have to take such drastic measures to get him to see his feelings for me. But men were different, sometimes it took a good hit to the balls for a man to realize he’d lost something.

Hawke did finally wake up, but at what cost? Why do I have to be so forgiving? He was going to have to really work to get me to go back to our friends and family.

As much as I cared for all of them, my heart had to be mended first. Hawke was the one that would have to fix it.

Hawke had stayed here far longer than any of the other times he’d slept over. That was one brownie point so far, but the night wasn’t over.

I lightly tapped my hand on the mattress, feeling the gentle bounce beneath my fingertips. He raised his head, his face illuminated with a glimmer of hope. “I might regret this, but come on up.”

No, you won’t.

Shut up, stupid voice.

Hawke didn’t just scramble into the bed. He picked up all his blankets and his pillows and began making a pillow and blanket fort around us. He threw pillows in opposing directions and set up blankets that nearly covered all sides of the perimeter of the mattress.

He folded and refolded blankets, meticulously smelling them, coming over to me and rubbing it on my body. I sat there stunned, watching him rub the blankets and pillows on his body as well. Then he shoved it right up to my nose.

I blinked as he continued to nudge it toward my nose, and I finally sniffed like he was doing. He nodded, urging me on.

So, I sniffed. It smelled like my shampoo and his peppermint smell I loved so much. “Smells like you,” I said in more of a question. He nodded and continued to shape the queen size bed into a giant nest of blankets.

“What are you doing?” I choked out a laugh. He turned back to look at me, and his eyebrows wiggled.

What the heck?

His face had transformed from its stern demeanor, his smile now radiating joy. Once he settled the last blanket and pillow in the right place, shoving it in the right corner of the bed, he flipped around on both his hands and knees and gazed at me.

I felt a chill run down my spine as I nervously laughed, taking in his chiseled features.

“Are you drunk?” I covered my hand with my mouth to hide a smile. Because this new side of Hawke was, dare I say, fun to be around? He wasn’t all business, which I really liked, but this version of him was so much easier to read.

He shook his head, grabbing me by the waist, causing me to squeal, and tucked me under him like the little spoon. He wrapped his arm around me and snuggled his head between my shoulder and my neck, and I heard his contented sigh.

No words were exchanged, just his constant purr like humming escaping his throat and chest.

“Hawke, are you okay?”

He nuzzled into me deeper, his arms tightening more. “Mine,” he muttered, kissing the nape of my neck.

I wanted it to be true. I really did, but I still had my reservations.

Hawke purred again, I shivered, and I could feel the fire inside me burning. He darted his tongue between his lips, licking the spot he kissed, and my leg jerked back in surprise.

“Woah there! None of that!” As much as I wanted more kissing and more cuddles, we couldn’t let it go too far. Not until I knew he wouldn’t leave. It had only been half a night after all, and I wasn’t about to give in that easily.

Liar.

Ugh, shut up.

He grumbled under his breath, muttering a curse, and kept his body wrapped around me. The noises from the outside faded away, as did the flashing of the car lights driving by my window.

I felt safe, truly safe, after a long while without having Hawke right beside me. And we both were lulled into a peaceful sleep.

I heard a husky, gentle whisper, “Delilah,” from between my thighs. Humming vibrated between them, and I clamped them shut.

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