Page 70 of Sheltered By Love

After not hearing a word all night, I’m so relieved to see him, that if I hadn’t been carrying the dish, I would have hugged him.

He eyes the blackened mess I’m dumping in the sink and slumps into a chair. “The power came back on in the middle of the night. I forgot this was in the oven.”

He nods and yawns. “Where’s Levi?”

I point upstairs. “Taking a shower.”

His face darkens slightly. “No dramas overnight then?”

I shake my head and sit opposite him, cradling my second cup of coffee in my hands. “Everything was fine. Levi watched the screens until your battery drained. Then he slept downstairs.”

He yawns again. “Good. I’ve checked in with Garrett and there’s no way anyone was out in this. But I’ll run through the tapes just in case.”

He doesn’t look in any fit state to do anything but sleep. “Not now I hope?”

He stretches his arms out over his head. “In a few hours. I’m about to drop. What are your plans for today?”

For a moment I think he’s asking out of politeness until I realize he probably wants me out of the house.

“Levi said the roads are clear enough for traffic to get through, so I’m meeting Riley Jones as planned.”

He glances at his watch and then looks at me almost as if he wants to say something. I know how he feels.

But it’s neither the time nor the place to start discussing two incredible kisses I’m still trying to put down to a partial breakdown induced by the winds.

It’s even more awkward as he pushes back from the table. “Set the alarm when you leave. And sit near to the bar so Jax can listen in.”

As a knock comes from the front door and he gestures upstairs. “I’ll go make sure Levi leaves before you go,” he says.

I wait for him to disappear upstairs before I open the door to an exhausted-looking Garrett.

After offering him coffee and him declining it, he hangs about in the hallway.

“Nothing to report on the thefts. But I wanted to check in with you to see how you faired last night.”

It’s impossible not to blush, so I do my best to hide it under a false smile. “It’s taking some getting used to. But Levi and Zane were both great.”

He gives me a tired nod and suddenly looks like a man with all the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“That’s good to hear. They can both be annoying as all heck, but when it matters, they’ll do the right thing.”

My blush increases ten-fold. I’m sure a man as honorable as Garrett Reid wouldn’t consider what Zane and I did two feet from where he’s standing to be the right thing.

“About the dance, um, I’m not sure…”

Even as tired as he is, he’s empathetic. “I understand. If you’re up to it, I’m sure Jax would appreciate some help behind the bar?”

I’m so relieved, that a ball of tension unfurls in my midsection. “That sounds perfect,” I say.

His mouth opens but a loud crash coming from directly overhead steals his reply.

He presses his finger and thumb to his eyes and sighs. “I better go make sure they don’t break anything,” he says.

Garrett stalks out before I can ask him what’s going on.

Zane

Levi’s engulfed in a cloud of steam, and just fastening a towel around his waist when I kick the bathroom door open.

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