Page 29 of Shielding Instinct

“Exactly. Yes, when we’re home in D.C., I’d like that very much.” Her smile broadened. “And I’ll wear matching eyeballs for the occasion.”

Chapter Ten

Hawkeye

When Cooper nudged Hawkeye with a cold, wet nose, Hawkeye came instantly awake.

Grabbing his phone, he threw his covers aside and swung off the bed.

There, with his bare feet on the short fibers of the hotel carpet, dressed in black boxer briefs, Hawkeye paused to get his bearings.

Zero-three-hundred hours.

Standing in the doorway between their room and Petra’s, Cooper held steady, his muscles tight with focus.

Hawkeye moved silently forward. Standing beside Cooper, he could make out Petra in her bathroom with only the nightlight shining.

Dressed for bed, wearing a pair of pink panties and a white T-shirt, Petra leaned over the sink, spitting into the water flowing from the faucet. One hand held her hair back, and the other clasped her toothbrush. She seemed steady on her feet, even pitched forward that way.

Yesterday’s meds must have given her cotton mouth.

A woman he dated a while back once told Hawkeye that the human wakes at three because of changes in the body’s temperature regulation. She said it was only in modern times that it was thought to be a problem. Farther back in history, folks called it ‘The Golden Hour’ and considered that the time for sex and contemplation.

Hawkeye could well imagine why that particular factoid dropped into his awareness at just that moment.

With his cock standing at attention, Hawkeye backed out of Petra’s view, climbed back in bed, and signaled for Cooper to lay down.

While a three a.m. temperature change might be the reason Petra was up and aware that she wanted to brush her teeth, Hawkeye was up because he’d spent the night with his search engine open, trying to figure out what Petra’s pupils might mean to her health picture.

Without landing on an answer, finally, Hawkeye had turned his computer off and laid down to catch some shut-eye. He needed to get at least a couple of hours sleep so he was ready for the training mission later that morning.

Even though Cooper woke him each day with pinpoint accuracy, that day, Hawkeye set his alarm a few minutes earlier than usual to give himself time to check on Petra before he started his morning routine.

Cooper always began his days with a quick jog to burn off some energy. It helped him to stay focused and on task all day.

If Petra needed him, though, Hawkeye could send Cooper out with Mojo since they ran at a similar pace.

Hawkeye must have fallen deeply asleep because he had that thought, and the next thing he knew, his phone alarm was vibrating under his pillow.

After pulling on his running clothes and lacing his sneakers, Hawkeye stole into Petra’s room.

He didn’t want to wake her, but he needed to know if she was lucid enough that she was safe to be left alone. When she spoke, her voice was husky with sleep but seemed back to normal. She responded to his questions without any red flags, so Hawkeye and Cooper hit the road in the quiet of pre-dawn.

Hawkeye loved this time of the day. He liked knowing that inside the houses he passed, families were snug in bed. He liked being alone with his thoughts as he lined up the day’s prioritiesand let the vibrations of his foot strikes loosen any stress or negativity. It was like a shower for his soul.

Today, all Hawkeye could think about was the miracle and the angst of meeting Petra.

On the plane, he thought he had one shot at getting to know her before their brief intersection was in his rearview. Hawkeye had planned to invite her to dinner to continue their conversation.

He couldn’t imagine what it was like to go to sleep just fine and wake up in a medical crisis like that. Life could, sure as hell, knock you off your feet with no warning at all.

His feelings for Petra absolutely knocked him sideways.

And the jog hadn’t eased his level of concern. Everything Hawkeye had read boded poorly for Petra getting a good outcome.

Today, though, there might be more answers at the eye doctor.

Cooper and Hawkeye slowed their pace for the last two blocks, catching their breath before they strode through the automatic doors at the front of the hotel. They were back just as the kitchen staff was setting up breakfast. Since he had Cooper with him, Hawkeye made two plates—one for him and one with his best guesses as to what Petra might eat—and balanced them in one hand as he went up to the seventh floor.

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