“I should have come back two years ago,” I argued.
Lach’s eyes sparked with anger, the scent of it tingeing the air. “We wouldn’t have been able to beat the Faction without you, Chloe. If we failed, how long do you think it would have been before they spread from Texas and the surrounding areas to the rest of the country, then the world? You were needed in Dallas. This pack would have been fucked whether you were here or not because it would have only been a matter of time before the Faction corrupted this area too.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I conceded.
“I know I am.” He surprised me by leaning forward and taking my hand. “And, Chloe,Iwouldn’t be here without you. If you hadn’t been there, refusing to give up on me, I would have died too. I wanted to die for a long time. You were the only thing standing between me and the Underworld.”
“Calder wouldn’t have let you pine yourself to death, Lachlan,” I whispered. Something in my chest twisted, as if my heart were tying itself in a tight knot.
Lach shook his head. “He couldn’t get through to me. Only you could,” he insisted, gripping my hand tighter. “If you’re going to blame someone for this situation, blame me. If I hadn’t needed you, you could have come here a long time ago and saved this pack a multitude of pain.”
I shook my head. “Don’t say that. This isn’t your fault,” I stated.
“It isn’t yours either,” he replied quickly. “But you can help them now. And you will. We both will.”
I nodded and Lachlan squeezed my hand tighter, but he didn’t release it.
We sat at the kitchen table, holding hands, as the afternoon faded to evening.
Chapter Twenty
Lachlan
As we atedinner, Chloe covered her mouth several times as she yawned widely. I knew how she felt. The day had been exhausting.
We washed the dishes together and when they were done, she mumbled, “I’m going to change and go to bed.”
I nodded, drying my hands on a towel. She gathered up some clothes and disappeared into the bathroom, emerging ten minutes later, her face scrubbed and smelling of peaches and the minty toothpaste she used. The scent made my mouth water.
After our meeting with Carter, we hadn’t continued our discussion of what happened following our sparring session earlier. Hell, the day had been so long it almost felt as though it had happened a week ago rather than just a few hours before. While I’d been relieved to have a reprieve from the conversation, it also meant that I couldn’t make assumptions about changes in our sleeping arrangements.
Chloe pulled back the blankets on the bed and settled beneath them with another jaw-cracking yawn. Without a word, I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and slipped on the loose shorts I’d worn to bed every night I’d been here. I preferred to sleep naked, but for some reason I’d felt compelled to wear them. I’d originally chalked it up to the possibility that we might be attacked in the middle of the night, but now I realized it was to hide my body’s reaction to Chloe.
When I came out from the bathroom, I turned off the lights and moved toward the couch. While it was actually big enough to accommodate me, the cushions were old and provided no support or comfort. I was grateful for my body’s ability to heal quickly because a night on that monstrosity would cripple a human man.
Chloe’s voice floated out of the darkness. “You don’t have to sleep on the couch.”
I turned toward the bed, looking at the outline of her body in the shadowed room. Clouds had moved in, covering the moon, so very little light came through the windows. All I could see was her upper body propped on an elbow, her head turned toward me. Her face was still shrouded in the dark.
Then she reached over and pulled the covers back on the opposite side of the bed. “Come sleep with me, Lach. That couch can’t be comfortable.” I saw the faint gleam of her teeth in the shadows. “And I’m too tired to pillage you, so you’re safe.”
I smiled a little at her words, even as a slender shaft of disappointment pierced my chest. “If you’re sure…” I trailed off, giving her one more chance to change her mind.
“Did you mean what you said earlier about spending time with me? Learning about me?”
I nodded.
“Then come sleep beside me,” she murmured. “I think I’d like that.”
My feet carried me to the bed and I climbed in beside her, lying on my back and staring at the shadows of tree limbs that the dim moonlight cast on the ceiling. After a few moments I twisted my head and saw that Chloe was lying on her stomach next to me, her face turned toward me. Her arms were tucked beneath the pillow and her hair trailed down her back. Her eyes were already closed, her face peaceful. I’d never seen her so still. She looked beautiful.
Though my brain understood there would be no sex, my body had other ideas, my cock already semi-erect. I tore my eyes away from Chloe’s tranquil face and looked back up at the ceiling. Then I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, hoping it would help me relax.
When I woke,I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but the cabin was still dark. In our sleep, Chloe and I had changed positions. She was on her side, facing away from me, and my body was pressed against her back. One of my thighs lay between hers, pulled high so I could feel the heat of her pussy against my bare leg through her thin cotton shorts. My left arm was beneath her head and the other was wrapped around her waist, my hand beneath her shirt and cupping her breast.
My cock was so hard that it hurt. My hand flexed instinctively against her breast and she moaned softly. Her hips rocked against me, grinding her pussy against my leg harder.
I buried my face against her shoulder, running my lips against her hot, soft skin as I closed my fingers around her nipple and tugged.
