“I’m not done yet.”He bit his lip a moment then continued.“I’m guilty of not making sure my partner got off, but not in a long time.Not since I was about seventeen and learned how much better things feel when she’s as into things as I am.I know you never had that.”He moved close and placed a chaste kiss against her forehead.“But what we have?The way you made me feel?That’s not something I’ve ever had before.It’s not something I’ll ever let go of, not that it’s an option now.”He moved one hand to rest low on her belly.“I know it’s way too soon to know.But with even the possibility, I want you to know I’ll protect you with everything I have.Until my last breath and beyond I will do everything I can to take care of you and the baby you could be carrying even now.”
Delilah blinked several times as if she had to let his words process.
“I don’t know what to say to that.”
“You don’t have to say anything.Just come over here and rest.”He tugged her closer until she curled into his chest.He wrapped his arms around her and listened as her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.He needed to check in with Domino to check on the progress of wiping out Jericho.But he wasn’t ready to get up yet.He wanted to be sure she was well asleep before he moved.“How did you steal my heart so fast?”he whispered, knowing she wouldn’t answer.
Twenty minutes later, Hawkeye kissed the top of her head, then eased away from her and got up.He dressed, wrote a quick note and left it beside the bed then took his laptop and slipped out of the room as quietly as he could.He glanced around the main room, computer in hand, and decided it wasn’t a good place to work.Too many people milling about.They’d come talk to him, ask questions and generally pester him.He needed to focus.He ducked his head into Raven’s office.
“Mind if I use church to get some things done?”He lifted the laptop.
“Problem with your room?”Raven asked with a scowl.
Hawkeye shook his head.“Delilah’s asleep and I don’t want to disturb her.She’s not used to the click of my keyboard at all hours.”
Raven nodded slowly, as if he understood.“Go ahead.We’ll look at finding a space you can get things done when you’re not able to sleep, at least until we can get your house done.”
Hawkeye nodded but didn’t reply as he continued down the hallway to Church.He set up his laptop on the big solid wood table, logged on and got busy.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Delilah stretched andlooked around, wondering where Hawkeye had gone.No.He’d told her to call him Michael.She couldn’t help but smile.He hadn’t said as much but she suspected there was something special about his telling her to use his name, and it wasn’t just one way.He made her feel things, not just physically, she’d never felt before.She suspected she was more than halfway in love with him already.She sat up and spotted a piece of paper on the nightstand.She read it then laid it back where she’d found it and got up.She grabbed some of her new clothes and went into the bathroom to clean up and use the facilities, then slipped on the pair of sandals Hawkeye had insisted she needed, took her key from beside the door, and let herself out, making sure to lock the room behind her.
She checked the main room and didn’t see Hawkeye, nor, to her surprise were there any of the patched brothers there.The men that were present were Dax and Hunter.She frowned but spotted Taylynn in the corner, and after this morning, Delilah was much more at ease around the other woman, so she headed that way.
“What’s up?”Delilah asked, making a point of looking around, as if she only just noticed that nearly no one was around.
Taylynn lifted one corner of her mouth in a wry smile.“Have a seat,” she motioned the chairs across from her.“They’re in church.Hawkeye said he had news and ten minutes later I was here with my bodyguards.”She motioned to the two prospects.
“If they’re in here, who’s manning the gate?”Delilah asked, she only remembered seeing two prospects, but Hawkey had said the gate was manned 24/7.
“David’s on the gate.We’ve got three prospects right now, but I heard Raven say they’re always on the lookout for someone who might fit, so who knows when we might get another one or two.”She shrugged then turned back to the plate of food sitting in front of her.
“David’s the most normal name I’ve heard since I got here ...well, other than you and Andy.”Delilah said from where she still stood beside the table.
“They’ll get road names if and when they patch in, until then they go by their given names.”Taylynn frowned at her.“Is there a reason you’re still standing there?”
