Page 112 of Fragile Sanctuary

I moved into her space as I pulled on my T-shirt. “Rho.”

She looked up as she tugged a tank top over her head. “I’m fine.”

I wrapped my arms around her, the move so easy, as if there’d never been a time when Ihadn’tdone this. She fit in my hold, my body molding to hers. “You were in a car accident last night.”

Rho shivered against me, and I hated myself for even bringing it up. But she needed to remember to take it easy. She rested her chinon my sternum and looked up at me. “I know. And if I lie around here all day, all I’ll do is think about it. If I go into work, I’ll at least have distractions.”

Just the thought of her being out of my sight had anxiety and fear clawing at my insides. Someone had forced her off the road yesterday. Hurt her. Was maybe even trying for worse.

Her thumb stroked back and forth over my spine. “I’ll be with people all day,” she assured me as if reading my thoughts. “You can drive me, and I’ll have someone give me a lift home.”

“I’ll drive you home,” I argued.

Rho huffed out a breath. “Fine. But we need to go, or I’m going to be late.”

“All right,” I grumbled.

She stretched up onto her tiptoes, kissing the underside of my jaw. “I gotta brush my teeth.”

We both went through an abbreviated morning routine, and Rho grinned as I used her toothbrush. I rinsed my mouth as she took the brush and put it back in the holder.

I shook my head. “Not like my mouth hasn’t been plenty of other places.”

Rho stuck her tongue out at me. “I know. But I like you using my toothbrush. Makes this feel real.” She stilled then. “It is, isn’t it? This wasn’t some one-time freak-out because I could’ve died, and now you’re going to get all weird on me sort of thing, right?”

An ache wrapped around my chest. I’d injected that doubt into Rho with all my back-and-forth bullshit. I pulled her gently into my arms and brushed my lips across hers. “This is real. I’m probably going to fuck it up a million times over, but I won’t stop trying.”

Rho melted against me. “I’d rather have you and your fuckups than anyone else.”

I chuckled, kissing her forehead. “Lucky me.”

“Come on,” she said, heading for the door and whistling for Biscuit. “If Sonny’s already at the café, I’ll con him into making us breakfast.”

My stomach rumbled at that. I followed Rho as she hookedBiscuit’s leash to his collar and opened the door. As we stepped outside, her steps faltered. The crew was milling around the Victorian, ready to get started on the day.

“They’re all seeing you come out of my house,” Rho whispered.

They already knew I’d spent the night before, so it wasn’t exactly new information. I could pass it off as me looking after a friend when they’d been through something horrible, but I didn’t want to lie. Didn’t want to deny what Rho was to me.

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into me, my lips close to hers as I stared into those green and gold eyes. “No more hiding.”

Those eyes flared. “No more hiding,” she whispered.

I dipped my head, my mouth taking hers. My tongue stroked in, her taste exploding in my mouth. God, I could drink her in for an eternity. But I forced myself to pull back.

Rho’s focus was a little hazy as I did, making me grin. But when I stole a look at the crew, they were all frozen, staring. A few had slack jaws. Then one of them whistled. A few others hooted or shouted something I didn’t want to hear. Shep just stared hard at me.

Shit.

I owed him a conversation. But right now, I needed to get Rho to work. “Come on,” I said, guiding her gently toward my truck.

She paused to let Biscuit do his business, and then I lifted him into the cab before helping Rho into the passenger seat. I turned to meet Shep’s angry gaze after closing her door.

Apparently, the conversation couldn’t wait. “Shep?—”

“Tell me you’re not messing with her.”

My jaw hardened as I struggled to keep my temper in check. “You know me better than that. If I needed to blow off steam, I sure as hell wouldn’t do it with your sister.”

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