“I’ve got her, man,” Swift said evenly.“Nothing is going to happen to her.”
“Yeah, right,” Tyson grunted, but he stood.
Which, honestly, was a miracle.
He walked over to me and wrapped me in a careful, brotherly hug, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.“Be careful, sis,” he muttered.“And call me if you need anything.”
“Will do,” I lied.
Tyson pulled back, glanced once at Swift with all the warmth of a tax audit, and then headed for the door.
He didn’t say another word on his way out.The door clicked shut behind him.
I waited two whole seconds while grabbing my coffee before saying, in the driest tone I could manage, “I really think he’s starting to warm up to you.”
Swift nodded and took a sip of his coffee.“Oh yeah,” he said.“Totally.”
That did it.
I sputtered with laughter, almost sloshing my latte down the front of my shirt.
Swift let out a chuckle of his own, and the sound of it, rough, low, real, did a stupid little somersault in my chest.
I sighed and rolled my head carefully.“Is it crazy that I’m already tired?”I asked.
Swift shook his head.“Not at all.You had a big day yesterday, and you’re still healing.”
I sighed again, hating how true that was.“Maybe I can take a little nappy nap.”
He nodded toward the hallway.“Sounds like a solid plan to me.”
Of course it did.If I was passed out in bed, it made his whole protective mission easier.
“You know soon I’ll be raring and ready to go, right?”I asked.
A little smile crossed his lips.Not big.Just enough to catch.“I look forward to it, sugar.”
God.
That man’s limited use of words had a way of sticking.
I set my coffee cup down on the counter and pushed away from it.“Don’t have too much fun while I’m sleeping,” I called over my shoulder as I headed down the hallway.
Behind me, I heard his low chuckle.“I’ll try to keep the fun to a minimum.”
I made it to my bedroom and promptly collapsed onto the bed like a Victorian woman with a delicate constitution.
Carefully, though, because… bullet wound.
I pulled the blanket up over myself, shifting until I found a position my shoulder didn’t hate.
The apartment was quiet again.
And somewhere out in the other room was a gruff biker drinking plain black coffee like a man with no imagination and guarding my front door like it was the entrance to Fort Knox.
My eyes drifted shut, and before I could even think another thought, I was out.
Chapter Six