I grab my phone from beside me and glance at it.Great.I’ve been lying here for three hours. I roll onto my other side and shuffle my body around, trying to get comfortable, though it’s not working. I stare at the door and sit up, swivel around, and walk over to unlock it. I want to go to his room... his bed... to be in his arms. That’s my happy place. My hand pauses on the handle. Maybe I shouldn’t. He’s probably angry at me from earlier.
My shoulders fall as I let out a heavy sigh. I walk back over to my bed and lie back down. Reaper’s been good to me. The last thing I want to do is annoy him, especially in his room, in his personal space. I cringe. He’s probably embarrassed too. Ugh! Tomorrow’s going to be awful.
Footsteps thump, then two loud knocks on my door.
“Elena! I said I’m fine.”
“It’s Reaper.”
My heart picks up pace. “It’s open,” I reply softly.
As soon as the door opens, I speak. “I’m so sorry for embarrassing you like that,” I blurt, knowing why he’s there.
Light from the moon and the bonfire casts onto him through the window. His eyes drift over my face, and without words, he sits beside me. I stiffen. He frowns.
“I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way. I’ll do better.”
I blink a few times in disbelief. “You’re not angry?”
His brows pinch as he stares at me, then they widen and he leans back. “I’m not like your husband.” He sounds offended. “Do you think I would hurt you?”
“No, no...” I reply quickly. “I know you’re not like him. I thought I embarrassed you, so I wanted to apologize.”
He pauses, and his face softens. “You could never embarrass me.”
The relief is profound. I didn’t realize how much it means to me for him to say that. I sit up and shuffle next to him. I wrap my arms around his middle and hug him tight as his arms go around me, pulling me to him.
“Motorcycle clubs follow different rules than society.” His voice rumbles, but I don’t move and stay where I am, my head on his chest. “I trust my men... When I told them you are off limits, I knew they would follow my orders. The men who just arrived”—he pauses, his body stiffening—“are from an MC we work with. They see you without a property cut, and to them, you are available.”
I raise my eyes to him. “So that’s why when they arrived you asked me to leave?”
He nods sharply. “And if they touched you.” He shakes his head. “I can’t afford to lose control... Not in front of you and not in front of another MC.”
He would have protected me... because of Elena. “Okay.”
His head tilts. “Just okay?”
“Yes, I’m so tired, but I can’t sleep in here...” I never thought being in the arms of a biker would be where I felt safe.
His face softens, and the side of his mouth twitches, like he’s smothering a smile. “Did you want to sleep in my room?”
“Maybe I’ll get a better sleep.” I try to keep the relief out of my voice because I need a good night’s sleep, and I don’t want to be alone.
He stands and flashes me a smile while holding out his hand. I get up and place my palm in his, and head for his room. When we enter, it isn’t pitch black, so I can see the bed. The bedroom is cool, the light breeze of the fan blowing on my skin. I stare at the bed longingly. The weight of tiredness hits me.
As I peek to the side, Reaper’s hands grasp the bottom of his shirt, and as he brings it over his head, I blush like a teenager. My heart races as I gawk at his impressive body. My eyes follow his broad shoulders to his bulging biceps. Even his forearms are impressive. And, suddenly, I’m hit with insecurity. I’ll never be skinny like the sweet butts or Elena. I got the curves and big boobs from Mom’s side, whereas Elena got Dad’s petite frame.
I pull the cover back and climb onto the bed. As I lie down, my body sinks into the mattress and I pull the duvet over me. I roll over to give him privacy as he gets changed but listen closely to the sound of him pulling off his jeans. The belt buckle clings as it lands on the floor. A part of me wants to turn around and see him in all his glory because I’m sure it is perfect, like the rest of him.
The shower is running, so I shuffle in bed, trying to get comfortable. I’d like to say the reason I sleep better in here is because of his bed, but I know that’s not true. I close my eyes and wait for him to return.
It isn’t long until the bed dips beside me, though he doesn’t touch me. I take a deep breath of his cologne. The scent is unique, like roasted marshmallows with a hint of citrus and vanilla. It makes a moan slip out of my mouth. I’d usually be embarrassed, but I’m not.
“Your cologne is by far the best thing I’ve ever smelled,” I say as I shuffle closer to him.
He opens an arm out wide, and I snuggle further into him, loving every second of being in his muscular arms.
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
