“Hell, baby, wait till you’re in bed, hey.”
I hum an incoherent noise.
“Step in,” he says. I look down to find him awkwardly squatting with one leg, his bad one bent out to the side as he holds my panties for me.
I’m so tired, I’m beyond being bothered.
I step in and he pulls them up, letting the elastic snap a little at my hip. I try to give him the stink eye, but I can’t even manage it.
“T-shirt, then bed.” His voice is low and gravelly.
He tugs the towel and I release it.
Without missing a beat, he bunches up the shirt and holds it above my head. I slide my arms through.
Why are we always dressing each other? A slight smile grows with that thought. I guess it’s a comfort thing. A taking-care-of-each-other thing. Hadley is good at taking care of the people heloves. Something snags in my mind, but I lose it when a yawn hauls another breath into my lungs.
The T-shirt slides over my chest, warm knuckles brushing over my breasts and down my stomach.
Now I shift my gaze to Hadley’s, but he’s all business. Only the flex of his jaw gives away any hint of a response to my bare state.
“Bedtime,” he whispers, but doesn’t move.
I can’t take it one second longer. I lean into him, closing my eyes. Maybe I’ll just sleep here...
A hand rubs circles on my back, and I swear I start drooling.
“Sunshine, bed.”
“Mhmmm.”
The warmth disappears, and I’m being lifted off my feet. My eyes open instantly. I’m snuggled against his chest a beat later. “No,” I utter.
“Hold still.”
He moves, slow and uneven. I don’t have the fight in me to argue right now. It only takes a moment before my back meets the softest mattress known to man.
“I’m in freaking heaven,” I murmur.
A light chuckle comes from overhead as the lamp turns off.
“No.” I reach for him.
“Give me a sec,” he rasps. The side of the bed dips and he leans over, grabbing up a pillow.
“Where are you going?”
“Sofa.” He dots a kiss to my forehead.
This has me pushing up on my arms, exhausted but still desperate to have him close.
“We’ve shared smaller spaces than this. Please stay.”
“Alright. No getting handsy.”
“If you say so.” I flop back onto the pillow, and he moves around the bed and climbs in.
“Maggie?” he says so softly I barely hear it over my tired breaths.
“Uh huh?”
He rolls over and slides his arms around my waist and tugs me into his chest. Me... little spoon...
Warm breath lands on my hair before a kiss to my temple.
Wrapped in the only warmth I’ve ever craved, he mumbles something I can’t make out. I sink into the bliss of it, sleep claiming me before the next breath.
