“Harper.” He cupped her face with one large hand, thumb brushing across her cheekbone. “It’s handled. Everything is fine.”
She stared at him, processing this information. Nine hours of sleep. No disasters. The world hadn’t ended because she’d stepped away from her keyboard.
“Oh,” she said weakly.
His lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Shocking, isn’t it? Other people can occasionally be competent.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“I know what you meant.” He leaned in and kissed her, soft and unhurried, his mouth warm against hers.
She melted into it, her racing thoughts finally quieting. This was good. This was right. Waking up in Adrian’s arms, being kissed like she was something precious?—
She pulled back slightly, frowning.
Something was wrong.
The kiss had been infinitely gentle, but underneath that controlled exterior, she could sense tension coiled tight as a spring. There were shadows in his eyes, and his fingers were gripping her hip just a little too hard, as if he were afraid she might disappear.
“What’s wrong?”
Surprise, followed by what looked like guilt, flickered across his face. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“Liar.” She propped herself up on one elbow, studying his expression. “You’ve got that look.”
“What look?”
“The one where you’re brooding about something but trying to pretend you’re not.” She poked his shoulder. “Come on. Out with it.”
For a long moment, he didn’t answer. His gaze drifted past her to the window, where the Behemoth skyline glittered in the morning light. Towers of glass and steel, monuments to ambition, rising like silver trees against the pale blue sky.
“You looked happy last night,” he said finally. “In the operations center.”
She blinked, thrown by the apparent non sequitur. “I mean… we successfully defended against a major cyber-attack. That’s generally cause for happiness.”
“Not that.” His jaw tightened. “Before that. When you were working. Commanding the room. You looked…” He trailed off, searching for words. “At home.”
“Well, yeah. This is what I do. Of course I’m comfortable?—”
“More comfortable than you’ve ever looked at the compound.”
The words landed like stones in still water, sending ripples of unease through her chest. She opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out.
Because he wasn’t entirely wrong, was he?
The compound was beautiful. Most of the pack members she interacted with on a daily basis were pleasant if a little distant. But she’d never stopped feeling like a guest there, like someone visiting a world she didn’t quite understand. Even after the presentation to the Council and the late nights in Adrian’s office and that first earth-shattering kiss…
She’d never stopped waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Adrian—”
“You built something here.” His voice was quiet, controlled, but she could hear the strain beneath it. “A career. A reputation. People who respect you, who follow your lead without question.” His hand found hers, fingers intertwining. “What can I offer that compares to this?”
“You’re seriously asking me that?”
“I’m asking what you’d be giving up.” He sat up, the covers pooling around his waist, and she couldn’t help but notice the way golden light played across the planes of his chest. Even now, in the middle of what was clearly a serious conversation, her body responded to him with embarrassing enthusiasm.
Focus, Harper. Crisis now, ogling later.
