Whatever.
I wasn’t in the mood for Team Bug.
“Let’s get you naked, operator.” He grabbed my backpack first and tossed it in the corner. “You might wanna sit down too. You’re a little loopy-lookin’.”
Pfft. “I’m not loopy.”
He smirked and quirked a brow. “You haven’t even noticed that my exam’s already begun.”
Wait, what?
“Huh?”
He approached me again and started undoing my belt. “I checked your pulse and temp already. I watched how you walked in order to rule out strains and fractures. I made sure you talked so I could get a sense of your mental state.”
I just stared at him.
He smiled and kissed me on the nose. “Get naked,” he repeated. “I’ll go grab a medic kit for those rashes. Then I’ll want a play-by-play of every living thing you encountered.”
Um, all right.
I scratched the side of my head. Perhaps I was a little out of it.
“Baby, wake up.”
Nuh-uh.
Not a chance.
I shook my head and rolled over, burying my face in Bo’s pillow. “Go’way.”
He chuckled and kissed my neck. “I need an hour of your time, and then you can sleep through the night in my arms where you belong.” The bastard smacked my ass. “It’s dinner—and our traditionally informal ceremony.”
Oh, but…couldn’t it wait till tomorrow? Although, I was very hungry. After my extremely long shower and exam, I’d brushed my teeth, jumped into a pair of sweats and Bo’s hoodie, and then I’d scarfed down a protein bar on my way to crash in his bed.
“Emerson made his famous chicken stew. With extra butter for the weight y’all lost.”
My stomach snarled.
I’d heard about that stew.
“Is everyone back?” I asked groggily.
“Yeah. Riley got a power nap too. You got five hours, so there’s no reason to complain.”
Five… Five hours?! I lifted my head off the pillow to glare at him. “I’ve averaged two hours a night the past two fucking weeks, you rat bastard.”
“We’re saying the same thing.” He was messing with me. “Rise and shine.”
He grabbed my hand and literally dragged me up, and I’d be pissy with him if he weren’t so affectionate and insistent on keeping me close.
“I haven’t lost that much weight,” I mumbled.
“Nine pounds ain’t nothing, pup. But we’ll get that sorted in a couple of months.” He kissed my temple and kept his arm around me.
I yawned and followed him to the mess hall that seated way more people than I suspected had been here at the same time. I got that they hosted larger groups every now and then, but I couldn’t imagine a scenario in which they flew thirty people up here.
“By the way, your phone’s been going off,” he murmured. “I texted Darius and your aunt Laura just to let them know you were asleep.”