Her eyes narrow, her lips pursing slightly, and I ignore my urge to laugh at her disgruntled response to my obvious stall tactic. Then she mutters, “Yes, I’m listening.”
Sighing, I lean close, ensuring I have her full attention. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Bu—” she attempts to interrupt, but I raise my hand, silencing her.
I swallow, watching her for a moment before continuing, “You don’t need to say anything right now. You know I know what you said earlier was a pile of fucking horseshit. You can explain it to me some other time or don’t, I don’t fucking care. Just know I’m not going anywhere.”
Her expression softens slightly, but I see the fear glimmering in her eyes, the tension in her jaw. Not wanting to give her an opening to say something else completely offensive, I add, “You’re mine now.”
She frowns, squints, her lips twisting as if I’ve said something she finds distasteful. Confused I wait a moment, watching her expression shift until I’m sure she’s going to say something I’m definitely not going to like, and then I say in a rush, “I mean, I’m yours. Okay? Is that better?”
Her lips curve up slightly, and she nods, obviously pleased with my reworded declaration. Completely exasperated I step back. “Do you need anything? A drink? A snack?”
She shakes her head. “I’m so tired.”
Nodding, I usher her toward the bathroom, helping her with her bedtime routine, even as she attempts to shoo me away. She draws the line at me helping her brush her teeth, so I exit the bathroom, allowing her some space for the more personal care she may not want me to be privy to.
By the time she exits the bathroom, I’m lying under the blankets on her side of the bed. She walks over, stopping next to me. “What are you doing?”
“Just warming it up for you,” I respond easily, sliding out from under the blankets and standing, holding them open for her. At first, she stares at me like I’m an insane person, something I find incredibly amusing because I feel like a total jackass right now.
Somehow, I manage to swallow back my maniacal laugh as I motion for her to climb in. She does so with a final questioning look, quickly sinking into the bed with a sigh of relief. I tuck the bedding around her, bending over to place a soft kiss on her forehead before turning to go.
Her hand grabbing mine stops me, and I turn back to her, noting the slight panic in her voice as she asks, “Where are you going?”
“I’m just going to shower and get myself sorted,” I answer, my hand squeezing hers lightly. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
She searches my eyes, her lips curving up slightly. Then she nods and releases my hand, curling in on herself beneath the pile of blankets as her eyes close.
She appears to fall asleep almost instantly, likely from the late hour and the stress of the evening. Glancing at my watch, I curse at exactly how late it is, wishing I didn’t have practice in the morning. Not because practicing on little sleep bothers me, but because I don’t want Cassidy to wake up alone.
I could call out of practice, but I’d never hear the end of it, especially since everyone knows I’m married. I could wake her and have her come along, but I hate for her to have to get up early when she’s obviously exhausted.
Which means it’s time to call in reinforcements.
“Sleep tight, princess,” I whisper, then turn toward the bathroom. “I know just the thing to cheer you up.”
23
GIRL CODE
CASSIDY
Issa isthere when I wake up.
“It’s about time you woke up,” she teases from her seat next to me on the bed. “I was getting worried I’d have to get brunch on my own.”
“Hey,” a voice responds from the other side of the room. “You’d eat without me?”
I crane my head around, smiling at Jessica seated in the chair in the corner of the room, casually thumbing through a magazine.
“Nah, I totally included you in that statement.”
Jessica raises a brow. “Is that so?”
Issa smiles broadly. “I always mean us when we’re together.”
Jessica smiles, but I can tell she’s not convinced from the expression on her face. “Uh huh.”
