Page 75 of Beautifully Broken Control

“You can takeme to work, or I’ll walk. And think of all the bandits who could get me then.” It had been a week since the relationship between Cain and me had changed since we’d had our meeting of the minds—and bodies. And things were good. Mostly great, actually.

We spent our days, tangled together on the couch. Cain worked while I watchedMurder, She Wrote, and I’d even gotten him to try and predict who the killer was with me. He was also trying to teach me to cook. So far, I’d mastered scrambled eggs without setting fire to his kitchen.

We spent the nights tangled together in a whole different way. I’d never had someone light my body on fire the way Cain did. It was as if he knew the exact map of my nerve endings and took great pleasure in tracing every single one.

The only hitch had been when he’d insisted on accompanying me to my follow-up doctor’s appointment. He’d basically bullied the doctor into agreeing that I needed another week’s rest. I think he’d scared the older man, actually. But I was done. There was only so much Angela Lansbury and Cabot Cove a girl could take.

In an attempt to appease me, Cain had loaned me his fancy tablet so I could work on research for the shelter and the community center. I had a few ideas for programs that I thought would be perfect. One was bringing in horses and a therapist to work with residents who had been through trauma. Another was getting someone like Cain to offer free classes on working with computers, everything from the basics to programming. Those skills were things the job market was desperate for, and it would set the shelter residents and the community members up for success. But now that my wheels were turning, I was even more hungry to get back to work and Hope House.

“Kenz, the doctor said—”

I held up a hand to stop him. “Cain, you basically threatened to sue the man if I went back to work and got so much as a headache. Of course, he said I needed another week off.” I crossed to Cain, gentling my tone. “Baby, I need to go back to work. I’m going stir-crazy. If I start to feel bad, I promise I’ll call it quits and go upstairs to rest.”

Cain huffed out a breath. “Fine. But Chuck’s staying with me.”

I let out a laugh, and Chuck raised his head from where he lay on the couch, his gaze going back and forth between us like a tennis match. Chuck had started following Cain around like he was his new best friend. I knew it was because Cain slipped him bacon every morning, the cheater.

“Fine. Chuck can stay here today.” We hadn’t talked much about me returning to my apartment over the Kettle. I needed to, but I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the routine I’d built here with Cain, either.Stand on your own two feet, I reminded myself. It was important. I’d fought so hard for so long to build the independence I had. I didn’t want to lose it.

“All right, go get ready. I’ll fix us breakfast for the road.”

I chuckled and kissed Cain’s cheek. “Don’t sulk, it’s not very manly.”

“I’ll show you manly.” Cain took my mouth in a bruising kiss that had me panting when he pulled away.

“Much better than sulking.” Cain smacked my butt as I walked away, and I couldn’t hold in my laugh.

* * *

“You’re back!Ohmigosh, I didn’t think you were going to be back for three more days. Get over here.” Jensen wrapped me in a warm hug. “Missed you.”

“I missed you, too, J. Sorry I left you high and dry.”

She released me. “It’s not your fault.” She looked behind me to Cain and burst out laughing. “I take it someone isn’t too happy you’re returning to work.”

“She’s supposed to take another three days off.” Cain had been full-on pouting since we’d pulled out of his driveway.

“I promise I’ll make her take it easy. Frequent breaks. And she can always lay down upstairs if she needs to.”

Cain nodded and crossed to me. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” He cupped my face with his hands and took my mouth in a slow kiss that lit a simmering fire in my blood that would burn for hours. “Call me if you need me.”

I nodded, watching him leave. When I turned back to Jensen, her mouth was hanging fully open. She closed it and opened it a few more times before she got any actual words out. “What? When? Tell me everything!”

I laughed. “Come on, I’ll fill you in while we prep for the lunch rush.”

Jensen and I spent the rest of the day catching up as we worked. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed her. My body held up pretty well. My ribs began to twinge towards the end of my shift, but Jensen picked up on my awkward movements and put me to work in her office, adding receipts to a spreadsheet. Before long, Cain was knocking on the open office door. “How are you feeling?” The look of concern in his eyes had me melting just a bit.

“I did great. Thanks for picking me up.” I pushed to my feet and went to grab my bag.

“Are you sure you’re up for ballet, too? This is a lot for your first day back.”

“It’s just one class, and then I want to go by the shelter for a little while, too.”

“Kenz.” My name was a low warning.

“Just for an hour. I haven’t seen Anna or Lizzie in too long.”

“Fine. But then straight home to rest.”

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