Austin squeezed the back of my neck. “Let’s get you and Blue packed up so we can get out of here.” At the sound of his name, Blue lifted his head from my feet where he was sprawled and cocked his head to the side.
Tears were brimming behind my eyes, and I did my best to fight them back. “All my stuff is destroyed.” I couldn’t bring myself to search through the rubble of my room right now to see if there was anything salvageable.
Austin cursed and then turned to Liam. “Will you go pack up Blue’s food, dog bed, and anything else he might need?”
“Sure.” Liam rose from the couch.
“Everything other than the dog bed is in the cabinet by the back door,” I said.
Liam ruffled my hair. “Got it.”
Austin tilted up my face to his and wiped away a stray tear with his thumb. “When we get into the car, I want you to write down all of your clothing sizes and make a list of any girl shit you’ll need for the next few weeks. And not the cheap stuff. I know you spend a fortune on the shit you put on your face. Make a list of everything you could possibly want or need, and I’ll send it to my stylist. She’ll pull everything together for you tomorrow morning.”
I was distracted from Austin’s ridiculously generous offer by one small fact. “You have a stylist?” I started to laugh, couldn’t help it.
“Yes, you little troublemaker,” he said, squeezing my side. “Someone has to dress me for events and appearances. I don’t have time for that shit.”
I couldn’t picture Austin standing still for fittings, but I could imagine him spending hours browsing the racks at Saks even less. “Well, let’s hope she has good taste. And, thank you, I can give you my credit card number so she can charge all the purchases to that.”
Austin stared at me and then lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “Whatever you say, Firecracker.”
Why did I have a feeling these charges would never make it to my card?
I shuffledinto Austin’s house like a zombie. About halfway through the drive from my place, I’d hit a wall. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally spent. All I wanted was a hot shower and a comfortable bed. Blue padded along behind me. He hadn’t ventured far from my side since the incident, and I was glad to have him.
Austin flicked on a few more lights in the living room. “Are you hungry? I can order food.”
“Honestly, all I really want is a shower.”
“Of course. Come on.” Austin lifted the dog bed he’d placed on the floor and led me back towards his bedroom, but instead of going inside, he stopped at a room directly across from his. I suddenly felt unsure and a little insecure. Did he not want me sharing his bed? Were we not okay? When I looked up at Austin, his eyes were intently studying my face. He crossed to me and engulfed me in his arms. “Your first time is not going to be after a day like today. I’m going to put you in the guest room for now. I want you to feel comfortable.”
I bit back the words that were trying to come out about wanting to sleep with him. Maybe it would be better if I stayed in here. I’d probably drool on him or something equally embarrassing. “Okay.” I hated how soft my voice sounded.
“Baby, you’re killing me. What can I do?” Austin held me tighter to his chest.
“You’ve already done so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’ll never have to find out.” He rested his chin on the top of my head, and we just stood there while I soaked up his warmth and strength.
Finally, I pulled back. “I’m going to shower. Do you have something I can sleep in?”
“Of course. I’m going to email your list of necessities to my stylist, and then I’ll leave some clothes on your bed.”
“Thanks, Austin. For everything. You’re pretty amazing, you know that?”
A small blush rose to his cheeks, making me smile. “Love you, Carter.”
I would never get tired of hearing that. I rose to my tiptoes, planting a quick kiss on his lips. “Love you, too.” Turning away, I headed into the bathroom, Blue following behind.
This bathroom wasn’t quite as ridiculously awesome as Austin’s, but it was close. I looked longingly at the soaking tub but knew if I got in, there was a good chance I’d fall asleep and drown. I shucked my workout clothes and stepped into the rainfall shower. Turning the water to steaming, I let the steady stream soothe my muscles that were tightly wound from stress. Finally, I looked around for some shampoo and conditioner. The shower was stocked with some fancy names and heavenly scents.
By the time I emerged from the spray, I was starting to feel more human. I bound my hair up in a fluffy towel, wound another around my body, and stepped into the bedroom just as a soft knock sounded at the door. “Come in.”
Blue immediately put himself between me and the door but relaxed when he saw Austin. “Looks like he’s got a little guard dog in him, after all,” Austin said with a smile. He paused when his gaze moved past Blue to my bare legs. His jaw got hard, and his eyes blazed with heat. I swallowed jerkily and felt a tingling at my core. Oh, boy.
Austin cleared his throat. “Here are some things you can wear for tonight, I know they’ll be huge on you, but the sweatpants have a drawstring you can tighten.” He set the items on the bed, seeming to avoid getting too close to me.
I wanted to laugh. Alpha male determined to preserve my virtue. “Thanks for that.”