A slow smile spreads on my lips when I open my closet and spot the three new pairs of sweatpants and undergarments Grace brought for me, and the two hoodies Angel graciously lent me.
I grab up his soft white hoodie and bury my face in it, breathing in his scent like an addict before slipping it on. Just pulling on my black sweatpants nearly knocks me over. It’s taking all my energy to stay upright and keep working through the exhaustion.
The sound of a door opening next to me pulls me from my thoughts. When Angel sees me stepping out of my room—voluntarily—his eyes flash with surprise.
He closes his door behind him and leans against it, his thick, strong arms crossed over his chest. My eyes trail over his body, admiring how his pale blue knit sweater stretches across those broad shoulders.
“You look dead,” Angel says with a straight face.
And here I thought he was the polite one.
“I feel it, too.” I take instinctive steps toward him, and my eyes nearly roll back into my head at the hit of his addictive scent.
“Didn’t get any sleep, sweetheart?” Angel finally closes the distance between us. His warm hand cups my cheek, and I instantly lean into it. My tired eyes fall shut of their own accord, and all I can muster is a soft, “No.”
“Too busy daydreaming about me?”
Even with my eyes closed, I can practically see the playful grin on his unfairly gorgeous face.
“Oh, bite me.”
With one last step, I let my head fall on his chest. Angel threads his fingers through my hair to massage my scalp while his other arm wraps around my waist, rubbing slow circles on my back until I melt into his arms.
How is he so soft and cuddly with all those tight muscles?
“Tell me your safe spots first. I don’t want to make youuncomfortable.”
His quick, witty response makes me laugh, but I’m already half asleep at this point. I nuzzle my cheek against his chest, getting lost in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
“You’re so touchy. Not sure I like it,” I mumble, burrowing deeper into his arms.
His chest rumbles with laughter. Angel gently rocks us side to side, lulling me deeper into sleep. “The way your arms are squeezing the life out of me says otherwise.”
He is so open with his affection, while I can’t even admit how much I love the way he holds me—like I’m the most precious thing in his world.
When my throat tightens and tears threaten to fall, I pull it together before I embarrass myself.
“You’re so hot.” I don’t realize my mistake until Angel snickers. “I meantwarm! I meant to say warm. Not that you’re not hot, because you are! Trust me, I would know—just shut up, Nevaeh!”
I groan and bury my face in Angel’s chest, praying the ground will open up and swallow me whole.
A soft kiss on my forehead stops me from begging whatever god is listening to end my misery. Angel grabs my face and steps back so I can face the full weight of my verbal diarrhea.
Thankfully, my mate doesn’t mind that I’m a trainwreck. He kisses the tip of my nose with a barely concealed smirk on his soft lips and starts dragging me away. “Come on, baby, let’s get you fed.”
When I reach the dining hall, I head straight for the glass wall and press my face to it. “I love this fucking view.”
“You swear like a sailor,” Hazel complains, sitting on the kitchen island with a pack of chips, sporting her usual ‘don’t mess with me, I’m scary’ look.
“And you whine like a child,” I shoot back.
I sluggishly walk to the dining table and slump into a chair, resting my chin on my folded arms.
I love how easy the banter is with this group. They don’ttreat me like I’m so fragile that I’ll shatter with a strong gust of wind, and I really appreciate how they don’t bite their tongues when we bicker, so I don’t have to either.
The clatter of pots and pans draws my attention to Seiji. He is stirring something on the stove while Angel stands beside him, slicing fruits into small pieces.
“Did you not get any sleep last night? You look exhausted,” Grace asks, raising her voice over the obnoxious sound of Hazel chewing.
