Setting his own bowl down with a clatter, Hayden stalked towards me and pushed my pie and laptop out of the way before taking my face in his hands, lifting it up until I was looking him straight in the eye.
“I couldn’t think of you going anywhere else. But if I find out you’re looking at apartments to rent, I’m not opposed to handcuffing you to my bed and spanking your ass. You hear me?”
I shouldn’t have found his threat exciting, but I was forced to gulp down my interest. Darting my tongue out, I licked my lips, not missing the way Hayden’s eyes tracked the movement.
Daring to push him, I batted my eyelashes and replied huskily, “Yes, Sir.”
29
HAYDEN
The momentI sat down on the plane, stuffed in the too small seat crammed next to the window, I’d crashed. Skye woke me as we started to land but for the entire three-hour flight, I’d slept. Night shift fucked you around and even though the last couple of nights had been pretty uneventful in the scheme of things, I was exhausted. It probably didn’t help that by the time I actually crawled into bed, feeling Skye’s silky-smooth skin next to mine, certain parts of my body started perking right back up.
After we landed, we grabbed our bags and went to collect our rental car. When I’d offered to carry Skye’s bag, she shot me a look that I’d never experienced before. It was like I’d offended her and hurt her all in the same question.
Once we were on the road and heading to Marianne’s, the silence in the cab of the oversized Dodge pickup we’d rented was killing me. Skye was staring out the window chewing on her nail. The nervous energy rolling off her in waves and I knew she was struggling.
Over the last couple of days, we’d talked about this trip and what we wanted from it but now the time was here, I was starting to think it wasn’t such a good idea. It was too soon. Too much. And that was just for me. God knows how Marianne was going to take it.
“Did you want to stop for a drink or something to eat before we get there?” I offered, trying to break the silence.
“I don't think showing up pissed on Marianne’s doorstep is going to help,” Skye snapped irritably.
“I meant a water or soda but good to know where your head’s at,” I replied, glancing over at where she was curling herself into a ball trying to make herself as small as possible.
Pretty sure she muttered “asshole” under her breath but I couldn’t be certain. Leaving her be, I focused on the road and making sure I got us there in one piece.
By the time we pulled into the drive, I wasn’t sure who was more nervous. Skye still hadn't spoken a word so my imagination was running away with me. More than a dozen times I considered pulling over or even turning around. If seeing Marianne was causing this much stress, maybe it wasn’t a good idea.
Except I knew it was.
“You ready?” I asked as I killed the ignition.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” Skye replied.
Honestly, it wouldn’t have shocked me if she did. She was looking awfully pale. In her lap, she was wringing her shaking hands together. And when I reached across the console and held them with my own, I almost gasped at how cold and clammy they were. This wasn’t normal. Skye wasn’t just worried. She was bordering on a complete meltdown.
“It’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know that,” she snapped back at me ferociously.
“You’re right. I don’t. But what I know of Marianne, she’s a lovely lady and she wouldn’t want to see you like this. None of us would.”
“Well too fucking bad.”
“Skye. Skye,” I tried again, this time a little louder. “Skye, would you look at me please?” I almost begged. Seeing her like this, this freaked out and on the verge of collapsing, wasn’t okay.
“What?”
“Take a deep breath and then, slowly, let it go.”
She rolled her eyes at me and I almost pulled her into my lap and spanked her sassy ass but now wasn’t the time. And it certainly wasn’t the place. Despite her attitude, she did what I asked, her beautiful eyes falling closed.
“And again,” I encouraged.
Three deep breaths later and she was as good as it was going to get.
Jumping out of the cab, I rounded the front before opening Skye’s door and helping her down.
