The next kiss wasn’t slow.
He coaxed me off balance, and before I could catch myself, he guided me down with him. I braced an arm beside him to keep from putting my full weight on him, but he didn’t seem to care. He just pulled me closer.
I let myself fall into it for a moment. His mouth was warm, familiar. God, I wanted him. Everything in me ached to give him whatever he needed – but then I felt the faint tremor in his hand, the subtle way his body tensed beneath me.
I pulled back slowly, my forehead resting against his as I caught my breath. “Rowan,” I said, soft but firm. “Hey.”
His eyes opened, glassy and unfocused. It took a second for him to catch up.
I brushed my thumb over the edge of his jaw. “You’re supposed to be taking it easy. Remember?"
A flicker of frustration passed over his face, but it was gone just as fast. He didn’t argue or try to pull me back in. He just settled back against the sheets and let out a breath. “I know.”
I kissed his temple and gave the side of his head a gentle nudge with mine. “You’re not doing anything wrong. Just not tonight. Okay? After you feel better.”
He nodded against me. Reluctant, but understanding.
I leaned down and kissed him again. Just enough for him to feel it, and then I let my lips press to his cheek before I eased back. “Finish getting changed. I’ll be right back.”
He nodded again, eyes already half-closed.
I stepped out and headed to the sitting room where I kept my bag next to the sofa. My body started to drag with every movement as I dug out my own night clothes and changedwhere I stood. Afterwards, I rubbed my eyes and leaned against the wall for a second. The adrenaline had finally burned off, and a bone-deep exhaustion started to take over.
My mind momentarily circled back to the way Rowan pulled me down. How he'd kissed me without hesitation and held on tight. We'd only been official for a few weeks. After everything he'd been through – and now this latest stunt from Marcus – I thought it would be longer before he was ready to let someone touch him again. Even me.
But he didn't shut down. He didn't pull away. He reached out, stayed present. Wanted it. That stuck with me more than anything.
I pushed off the wall and made my way back into the bedroom. Rowan had finished changing and was already under the covers, waiting quietly. He watched as I came in, and I crossed to the window to pull the curtain shut again. I didn't want the light to aggravate his headache in the morning.
I slid into bed and turned onto my side to face him. Rowan moved in as soon as the mattress dipped. He closed the space between us and settled in against my chest, his hand landing somewhere near my side. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him in properly.
His breathing evened out as I held him there, and the tension slowly eased from his shoulders. It wasn’t long before every part of him relaxed and went completely still.
I stayed like that for a while, listening to the quiet noises outside. Then my eyes drifted shut and I finally let myself sleep, too.
* * *
The police station was quiet when we stepped inside, and it smelled of stale coffee and printer ink. Rowan and I paused just inside the door. His headache had eased up over thepast couple of days, but I knew he was still a little sensitive to these kinds of bright lights. As it was, he squinted a bit at the fluorescents near the entrance.
He looked better, at least. He had more colour to his face and was steadier on his feet. He didn't need the nausea meds today, either, so that was a win.
"Well! Look who survived the weekend."
Charlie came into view around the corner, all casual smirk and rolled-up sleeves. Another officer followed a few steps behind with a clipboard in her hand.
His eyes flicked between me and Rowan, then down to where our hands were joined. "Glad you two finally figuredthatout. I was starting to think I'd have to file a missing persons report on both your senses."
Rowan made a noise that sounded a little bit like a laugh.
I raised an eyebrow and tried to look annoyed – though, actually, a grin was trying to tug at my lips. "You done?"
"For now." He nodded toward the officer behind him. "This is DC Chandra. Rowan, you're with her. Eli, you're with me."
Rowan gave me a glance. Not nervous, exactly, but it was definitely a look that asked if I was still with him. I gave him a small nod and squeezed his hand before he let go and followed Chandra down the opposite hallway.
Charlie jerked his head toward a nearby office, then headed inside. I followed him in and pushed the door closed behind me. He motioned for me to sit down before he started rummaging in a drawer.
As I sank into the chair across from his desk, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. "Still can't quite believe you're with the police. Last time I checked, you were getting detention every other day."
