Chapter Seven
Myra wokeme up before she left. It wasn’t even light outyet.
“I’ll take your shift this morning. You stay withRyder.”
I blinked until my vision cleared. Ryder had shifted in the night and was now curled around both the dragon and the dog, his back tome.
They were allsnoring.
I smiled. I so needed a picture of that so I could blackmail him with itlater.
“See you tonight.” Myra started toward the bedroomdoor.
“Wait, Mymy.” I slipped out of bed and stopped outside in the hall with her. “You go home. I’m going to take myshift.”
“You need to stayhere.”
“He’s sleeping. I’ll call someone to keep an eye on him while I’m out. It’s your dayoff.”
I always worked ChristmasEve.
Now that Ryder was home safe and the storm had blown through, I wanted to get eyes on thetown.
I needed to see if there was any damage, and make sure everyone had a warm place to celebrate theholiday.
“Just let me get dressed,” Isaid.
“Prefer you didn’t.” That voice, low with a burr of sleepiness, had me turningquickly.
Ryder stood in the doorway to the bedroom. Well, leanedthere.
The comforter was wrapped around his shoulders, held closed at the front. His hair was sticking up at allangles.
There was a crease down the side of his face from how hard he’d slept on one side, and his beard was thicker than he usually keptit.
But his smile made his eyes light with green fire, and set butterflies loose in my heart. He’d never looked moreamazing.
“Hey,” I said. “How are youfeeling?”
“Better. A little foolish. Happy to be home. Happier to seeyou.”
He’d moved while he spoke, and stopped right in front of me. “I thought I told you not to make deals withdemons.”
“You did. And I didn’t. Myra made thedeal.”
“Thought you knew better, Myra.” He pitched his voice so she could hear him, but didn’t look away from me for onesecond.
“I missed you,” hesaid.
“I missed youtoo.”
He opened the comforter, welcoming me into hiswarmth.
I went willingly, thankfully, wrapping my arms around his ribs, pressing my cheek against the healthy heat of his skin, inhaling the scents of love and trust and home andhim.
“Maybe you should stay.” He shifted so we were slotted together evencloser.
I took one last deep breath and rubbed my hand down his back. I could feel him wince a little when my fingers ghosted over hisbruises.
