Page 92 of Fighting for Scarlett

“Thank you,” she whispered, words muffled as she pressed her face closer against him.

“You never have to thank me for giving you what you need, sweetheart.” Tate touched a kiss to the top of her head and then began to rub circles on her back, hoping he might be able to soothe her into falling asleep. He had no idea how long the drug would last, or when it had been administered, but he prayed the worst was over.

They sat like that in silence for several minutes, a comfortable silence, and the feel of Scarlett’s heart beating against his chest was the most amazing feeling in the world. Honestly, he could stay like this, holding her on his lap, forever.

A groan suddenly fell from Scarlett’s lips, and he felt her entire body go tense. Before she even lifted her head and spoke, he knew what was happening. “Tate?—”

“It’s okay, sweetheart, we have as long as you need.” His hand went back into her pants, and he didn't hesitate to slide his fingers straight back inside her, once again letting his thumb work over her bundle of nerves.

Scarlett held onto him as he once again brought her the release her body so badly needed, and as he watched her fall apart again, he realized how addicting it was to be able to give the person he cared about what they needed. No wonder his parents had become addicted to this feeling because there was nothing like it in the world.

His girl was always going to be his top priority, but there was room in that number one spot for any kids they might have. While it might be rusty from lack of use, his heart was big and there was a lot of space in there.

Space that was longing to be filled.

This was nowhere close to being over. Raul Castillo was still out there, still a threat, and they had yet to identify the mole, but from here on out, he and Scarlett were going to work this together as a team. Whatever it took to keep her safe was still a good motto, but her mental health was as important to him as her physical health.

Already once he’d promised not to do what he thought was best without discussing it with her and broken that promise. Not a mistake he would repeat.

Broken promises weren't anything he wanted between them.

So, he was going to have to find a way to help Prey neutralize this threat to his girl and her team, because otherwise, the happy ever after he was just opening himself up to would be lost.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

January 20th

11:18 A.M.

All in all, everything considering, it had been a reasonable morning.

Yet Scarlett couldn’t help but feel unsettled.

Something was missing.

No, someone was missing.

Tate.

Where was he?

Yesterday he’d spent ages with her in that bedroom at Raul’s house, holding her on his lap, giving her orgasm after orgasm until finally the drug was out of her system enough that she’d passed out into an exhausted oblivion.

But he hadn't left her.

Every time she surfaced into consciousness, his name had been on her lips. She had needed the reassurance of knowing that he was there, that she was safe, and that everything was going to be okay. When they got to the hospital she had still been in his arms. Any doctor or nurse who suggested he set her on the bed on her own was glared at until they backed off.

After a complete thorough exam, she’d begged to be allowed to leave, and Tate had taken her back to his place, bathed her in the bath, then tucked her into his bed where she’d fallen asleep in his arms.

Only when she woke up he’d been gone.

It felt weird to not have him beside her. Weirder still that she was alone at his place. If he was gone it had to be for a reason, and she knew he wouldn’t have left her alone and unprotected. The black SUV in the driveway confirmed that theory. So, she knew he was coming back, and she’d taken care of a couple of things that had been high on her to-do list already, but now she was just sitting on his couch, feeling lost and alone, and almost ready to call a cab and go back to her place.

Like he was some sort of mind reader, that exact second, the front door opened, and Tate strolled in, bags of groceries in his hands. As soon as his gaze fell on her with her phone in her hand, his eyes narrowed. “You better not be looking for a way out of here.”

Surprised that he’d guessed, since there were a dozen things she could be doing on her phone, Scarlett laughed. “Your mind-reading skills are impressive.” The smile faded from her lips as insecurity took hold. “Where were you? I woke up and you were gone.”

Setting the grocery bags down, Tate didn't hesitate to walk right to her and draw her into his arms. “There was something I really wanted to do, and I had hoped you might be exhausted enough from everything that’s happened over the last couple of weeks that you’d still be asleep when I got back. Guess I wasn’t that lucky. I didn't leave you alone, a couple of the guys from my team are watching the house.”

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