He lifted his head slightly and pressed his lips to the top of her head.
“Good night, Emma.”
Her slow, rhythmic breathing and slack body let him know she’d already fallen asleep.
Cap closed his eyes, but sleep didn’t come. Between what he and Emma had just done and the depth of his feelings for her, his worry about her safety, as well as for Cici and Hunter, rough anxiety swirled in the pit of his stomach. His body buzzed with adrenaline. His mind raced. This constant edge was why he’d left the force.
Wide awake. Listening. Waiting.
If danger came through that door, it would have to go through him before reaching Emma. That would not happen. Could not happen.
Chapter Fifteen
Coolness spread over Emma’s shoulder. She reached down and yanked the quilt up to her chin. Wait, why was she cold? Under protest, her weary eyelids popped open. Sunlight filtered through the slats of the blinds. The spot beside her was empty. That’s why she was cold. The warm body she’d clung to through the night was no longer there, and when she ran her hand over the spot, it was cool, which meant Cap had been gone for a while.
Emma rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, indulging in the memory of what she and Cap had done during the wee morning hours. Her heart fluttered, and her breasts tingled. The man knew what to do to make her body hum. A large part of her had wanted to take things further, but she was unsure. She liked him a lot, but she’d just gotten out of a relationship that was on the marriage track. Marriage track. That label seemed strange. Upon further thought, she realized that the label made sense. She was on track to marry, not bind herself with a soulmate for life. How had she let things get so far down that path with Jonathan? She didn’t love him. At one time, she’d thought she did, but now knew she didn’t. Still, she didn’t want harm to come to him, and she hoped he’d be okay. One last opportunity to see him and chew him out for the danger he put her in would be welcome as well. When he got out of the hospital, she would give him a piece of her mind and walk away from him forever.
The air conditioning kicked on, and cool air blew directly onto her face, forcing a decision either to pull the blankets over her head or roll out of bed and find the handsome man she shared it with last night. She flung the covers back, snagged her pajama top off the floor, and slipped into it.
The aroma of coffee led her to the kitchen, where she found Cap, dressed and ready for the day. In just one day, his attire switched from long cargo shorts and a t-shirt to black tactical pants, black boots, a black t-shirt, and a holstered weapon. He looked ready to kick some ass if need be and sexy as hell.
He leaned back against the counter, holding a coffee cup in one hand and had his phone pressed to his ear with the other. He winked at her. Her heart slammed against her ribcage.
“Okay…yes…sounds good. Later,” he said to whoever he spoke with, then he set the phone on the countertop.
“Good morning.”
“Morning. How long have you been up?” she asked.
“An hour. Want some coffee?”
“Sure.”
Cap spun around, pulled a coffee cup from the cupboard, and filled it with coffee.
“Need cream or sugar?”
“No, black is fine.”
“Just the way I like it too.”
Cap gestured to a place setting at the peninsula.
“Have a seat. The quiche is almost done.”
She swallowed down her sip of coffee and cleared her throat. “You made a quiche?”
His smile widened. “Sure did. Took the container right out of the freezer and popped it into the oven.”
“Perfect.”
She sat and watched Cap as he placed salt and pepper shakers on the counter in front of her.
The oven timer dinged, and Cap pulled it out and set it on the stovetop. He cut into it.
“Looks like it’s done.”
Reaching back, he grabbed his plate from the countertop and placed two pie-sized pieces onto it. Then, he grabbed her plate.
