Page 75 of Senseless
“I know.” My hand ran along her jaw and I took a fast kiss, her lips still swollen and flushed. “But it still makes me nervous to sleep next to you. And I’m honestly not fond of the straitjacket.”
Mari let out a soft laugh, returning her cheek to my chest. “Can’t say I blame you.” Her hand slid over my body until her fingers clasped with mine. “Would you be willing to get a second opinion from Doc’s colleague when we go back to Four Corners?”
“Yes.” I brought our conjoined hands up to my lips and kissed her fingers. “It’s just hard to break the habit. I don’t plan on sleeping away from you forever.”
“Better not,” she huffed, sliding a leg over mine. “You’re such a wonderful cuddler.”
“I don’t know how that happened,” I mused, bringing both hands to her back. “You didn’t exactly teach me that.”
“You can’t really teach cuddling,” she laughed, nuzzling into my neck before kissing me there. “It’s just kind of innate, natural.”
“Does it always feel this nice?” I murmured, my eyelids already weighing down. Fuck, how amazing would it feel to stay wrapped up in each other all night?
“Hmm, I think it’s kind of like sex.” Mari placed more kisses along my face and neck. “It’s better when there’s something more between the people involved.”
I hugged tighter around her, catching that sweet, beautiful, luscious mouth in a deep kiss that I never wanted to end. “Then this is the best,” I whispered against her mouth.
“It is,” Mari agreed, her lips pulled back in a smile.
We kissed and held each other for a time that seemed entirely too short. It felt like a crime to leave her alone in bed for the night, but I would not risk her safety with me again. Not until I was absolutely sure I wouldn’t become a danger to her in my sleep.
“I’ll be just down the hall in your room,” I said, sitting at the edge of the bed as I reluctantly got dressed.
“Okay.” Mari had pulled the sheet up to her chest, her hand on my back as sleep pulled down on her eyelids.
I leaned over to kiss her before leaving, fighting every urge to dive back in bed and pull her warm body to me.
“I’ll get up early and be here when you wake up,” I decided right then, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “How does that sound?”
A slow, drowsy smile formed on her lips. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Good.” I cupped her cheek and kissed her again.This isn’t goodbye. Not anymore,I reminded myself.
“Goodnight, Shadow.” Her eyelids finally fell closed, dark lashes sweeping over her cheeks.
“Goodnight.” I slowly drew my hand away from her face. “My love.”
Twenty-Three
MARIPOSA
Shadow made good on his promise.
I roused slowly, stretching and intending to roll over in bed—if it weren’t for the long wall of muscle blocking my path.
“Good morning.” He sounded amused and at ease. Even happy.
“Morning, handsome,” I groaned through my stretch.
Shadow set aside the book he was reading and scooted down in the bed to lie next to me, sliding a large hand over my waist to turn me toward him. He pulled me into a breath-stealing kiss, holding nothing back. It caught me off-guard for a moment, just the unexpected boldness of it. But in the next moment I melted, sinking into his affection and soaking up every morsel until we both came up for air. A woozy smile came to my face when we parted, and I swore right then I’d never take his confidence for granted.
“I don’t want to get out of bed now that you’re here,” I admitted, curling into him and nuzzling into his neck.
“Don’t you miss the others?” It felt like a loaded question, even though I knew he didn’t mean it as such.
“I do.” I played with the collar of his shirt, dipping my fingers in to touch his bare skin. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about how things are now. With all of them.” I frowned, stilling my hand. “Things will be different when we get back. I’m just not sure how. I worry that…Reap and Gun might have moved on.”
“They would never,” Shadow said with a low growl. “They’ll be overjoyed to have you back, and eager to make things right.”
