“I will.”
She hesitated at the first step, then glanced back.“Thank you.At first, when I met you bikers, it was weird how… protective you guys are, but it’s…”
“Nice?”I offered.
She nodded once.“Yeah.”
Mac disappeared upstairs a moment later.The house went quiet in that way it only does late at night—settled, resting, like it was holding its breath.
I stretched out on the couch, boots kicked off, and my cut folded neatly over the arm.The television glowed quietly in front of me as I flipped through channels, none of them holding my attention.
My focus kept drifting down the hallway.
Star’s door was still open, but she was out like a light.
Half an hour passed.
I was halfway through an episode when I heard it: the soft shuffle of bare feet against the hardwood.Slow.Careful.
I was on my feet before my brain caught up.
Star appeared at the end of the hallway, one hand brushing the wall for balance, and her hair mussed from sleep.
I crossed the space between us in two steps.
“Hey,” I said gently, and slid an arm around her waist just as she wobbled.
She startled slightly, then relaxed into me.
“Done resting your eyes?”I asked.
She laughed softly.“I don’t even think I can call that resting my eyes.”She tipped her head back to look at me.“I passed the hell out.”
I chuckled.“Yeah.You did.”
She steadied herself, but I didn’t let go right away.Her eyes lingered on mine before she cleared her throat.
“I’m starving,” she admitted.
“Good,” I said.“I was hoping you’d say that.”
She frowned.“Why?”
“Because dinner’s still sitting in the kitchen.”
Her eyes widened.“You didn’t eat?”
I shrugged.“I was waiting for you.”
Her mouth fell open.“Cole.”
“What?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
She pulled back just enough to stare at me like I’d lost my mind.“You didn’t eat dinner because I was sleeping?”
