“Soon.”
“Great,” I murmured, kissing her once more. “I’m starving.”
I walked backwards a few steps, unbuttoning my uniform coat as I went. I threw it onto the armchair in the corner of my room, and Shiloh’s eyes landed on my arms. I bit back a smile, not so subtly flexing as I removed my shirt. I unfastened my belt next, but froze as she closed the distance between us, eyes fixed on my chest.
I realized she had yet to see me shirtless and was now getting to view the tattoo I'd told her about.
She leaned closer, her eyes studying the ink.
“I don’t…” she trailed off, her hand reaching up to me and freezing in the space between us.
“It’s okay. You can touch me.”
She flicked her eyes up to mine for a moment before letting her fingertips brush the hair on my pecs. I shuddered under her touch, my skin pebbling with goosebumps. She traced the letters of her name inscribed on the blade of the scythe.
“Wow,” she whispered. Her finger followed the outline of the grim reaper and stopped at the long red hair hanging down from the body it was holding. She withdrew her hand and stepped back to look at me fully. “This is amazing. I mean, it’s intense, and a little bit strange considering I’m not dead, but…I like it.” I smiled at her compliment. “Do you regret it now that you know I’m still alive?”
Her hand dropped to her side.
“Not for a second. I wanted a way to carry a piece of you with me for the rest of my life. And for the last four years and seven months this has helped me feel connected to you. I didn’t want…I didn’t want you to be forgotten.”
Shiloh gave me a sad smile before stepping back.
“I should finish,” she muttered, nodding towards the vacuum.
“Sure,” I nodded. “You need any help with getting dinner ready?”
“No. It’ll be ready in,” she paused, grasping me wrist and turning my arm so she could see my watch, “fifteen minutes.”
“You want to relax with me for a minute?” I bit my lip waiting for her response.
She contemplated for a moment before shrugging, “Um, okay. Sure.”
My stomach filled with butterflies, and I gestured for her to join me on the bed. She hesitated before climbing under the covers, avoiding looking at me as I removed my trousers and replaced my clothes with a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.
I climbed in beside her, covering us both with the comforter before pulling her body flush against my front. I hummed in contentment, and she hooked her leg over my hip, burrowing into my chest.
“Have I told you how much I love you?” I asked.
She snorted and I laughed softly, gently squeezing her.
“Well, I do. I love you. A lot.”
“I know,” she mumbled.
“Good.”
We laid there in the silence for a long moment before she suddenly spoke.
“You don’t think I’m being selfish?”
I pulled back so I could see her face. “What do you mean?”
“Asking you and Jae to keep me a secret from your family.”
I sighed, my eyes closing briefly before I held her hazel stare.
“It’s not selfish. It’s self-preservation, Shy. You quite literally could be harmed if we don’t keep you a secret. And it’s not your fault that you’re in this position in the first place. If anyone’s being selfish here, it’s me. I asked you to stay and you freaking left Witness Protection. You’ve welcomed me into your new life, you’re giving me—usa second chance. I would never be able to walk away from this, from us. If that means that we need to keep things between the three of us and your friends, then, I’m sorry, but my family can suck it.”
