Page 29 of Senseless
I ate a cold dinner, checked the heat lamps in the chicken coop, showered, and got ready for bed. No sooner than my head hit the pillow did I hear the high-pitched rattle of a dirt bike pulling into the garage.
I sprang out of bed and yanked on a pair of shorts, feeling something close to alive for the first time in days. I didn’t even notice the cold as I whipped the garage door open.
“Mariposita!” I declared with a genuine grin of happiness that felt strange on my face.
“Hey.” She turned off her bike and pulled her helmet off, making her long hair stream out like the tail of a comet. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
“Nah, I just went to lie down.” I approached her, the concrete floor icy on my bare feet, but I didn’t give a shit. “Welcome home. What do you need,mi amor?” I rubbed the arms of her jacket, planting a kiss on her forehead. “You hungry?”
“No, I’m okay.” She glanced up at me with a weary smile. “I think I’ll just shower and go to bed.”
“Sounds good to me.” I slid my arms around her in a loose hug, dropping another kiss in her hair. I didn’t even care that she smelled like dirt and sweat, my girl was home. “I’ll keep your side of the bed warm.”
“Thanks, love.” Mari brushed a soft kiss under my jaw before pulling away. It was nothing like the passion we shared before all of this shit went down, but I would take it.
We got inside and I set out a clean towel for her before slipping back into bed. Her shower was long, probably the first one she had in nearly a week. I nearly fell asleep before hearing the water shut off, but scooted to my side of the bed to make room for her. Mari padded softly across the dark bedroom to her side, lifting the sheets before sliding between them.
“Thank you for warming my side.” She scooted to the middle, nestling between my arms for our nightly cuddle.
“Siempre,” I murmured sleepily before blinking my eyes open, pulling her tighter against my chest. “Do you want to talk about your week?”
“Not really.” Mari’s lips brushed my chest, her fingertips trailing lightly across my ribs.
“Want to talk about anything else?” I played with the ends of her hair trailing down her back.
“Not tonight. Just…” she trailed off, burrowing into me closer than she had in weeks. “I love you, Jandro.”
“Mariposita, I love you so much.” I reached under her hair to cup the back of her neck. “And I missed you like hell while you were gone.”
“I missed you too.” She drew in a shaky breath. “I miss…everyone.”
“They miss the hell out of you right back.” I rubbed into her neck, rolling my fingers over the knots there. “And I’m including Shadow in that.”
Mari pulled back to look at me, her gaze finding mine in the darkness. “If he comes back, would you accept him? Into the club, our home, our life again?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “I would, if only to see you happy again.”
She stiffened slightly. "What about for him?"
"I'd love to have Shadow back in general, but you are my priority." My palms spanned across her back. "Having him around and in...a better mental state would be great,bonita, don't get me wrong." I tapped a finger to the tip of her nose. "Just as far as reasons go, you are at the top of that list. Always."
"Jandro..." Mari sighed, her lips landing on my neck when she leaned in again. "When you say that, I actually believe you."
"Good, 'cause it's the truth."
She didn't say anything else, so I shifted into the mattress, pulling the blankets higher over us to settle in for sleep. It was expected to be a cold night, and I silently hoped she'd sleep in late with me after her long, hard week out in the field.
Mari kissed my neck again, lips lingering sensually. Her tongue flicked out against my skin and I let out a soft groan, my body already heating up a few degrees.
"Babe?" I muttered, the hope clear in my voice.
"Mm-hm?" She kept kissing me, her short nails now making trails of heat over my chest.
"Are you seducing me?"
"What do you think?" There was a tone of playfulness in her voice I hadn't heard in so long.
I slid a palm over her hip, taking a handful of her flesh there before pausing. "Has something changed?"
