Page 69 of Zero
I flittered around the room, trying to make sure everything was perfect for when Rei arrived from work. The last few days had been rough on him—a mission had gone wrong and Mouth was shot. Rei took it badly.
He’d wandered home, curled into my arms and sobbed.
Rei Hakama, the same man I saw suited up like a terminator, reduced to tears at the thought of losing a friend.
Mouth was fine after his surgery. I’d stopped by his hospital room with flowers to find all the other ladies there—Miracle, Anke, Claudia. Barbie was at the HQ with her team for apparently work didn’t stop because a member of the team was out of commission.
They’d welcomed me with open arms. I couldn’t remember laughing as hard as I had that day. Eventually, the guys showed up with Barbie, and I left after kissing Rei, telling him I had a few errands to run. He eyed me suspiciously and I hurried from the hospital.
Then, using the GPS, I managed to go shopping for a few things to make my evening with Rei fantastic.
With dinner keeping warm, I hurried up the stairs to prepare myself—after a careful shower, I lathered my skin with unscented lotion. I then spritzed perfumed in the air and walked through it before dressing in some lingerie and hauling on a red dress. It hugged my curves, the way Rei like it then stopped just beneath my knee.
After fixing my hair, I slipped in a pair of teardrop shaped pearl earring and sat on the bed to buckle the tiny straps of the pair of heels he’d purchased for me the week I’d arrived in Germany.
When I stood to tug my dress in place, I could hear the engine of his truck pulling into the driveway.
I squeaked then darted into the bathroom to run a bath for him. Instead of bubbles, I added Epsom salt to the water, turned off the tap, dried my hands then made my way down the stairs.
When he stepped up to the stairs to look up, I smiled at him.
Rei dropped his gym bag on the floor and shook his head. “Wow.”
“Hi.”
“You look great—did we have plans to go out?”
I descended the stairs to the last step where he took my hand and helped me down to stand in front of him. “No. I know you’ve been having a crap few days and I wanted an evening to take care of you.”
“Baby.”
“So, I ran you a bath.” I framed his face and kissed him. “You go up, strip down and climb in before it gets cold. I’ll bring you a drink.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
I winked at him. “We can contemplate that later. Right now, I need you to go sink into that tub.”
“Aye ay, Captain.” Rei teased.
When I blushed, he kissed me until my knees wobbled then headed up the stairs.
I listened as he locked his gun and badge away before I picked up his gym bag and carried it to the laundry room. I separated the clothes in it, started a load of laundry then went back to pour him a whiskey with one ice-cube like he liked it. When I entered the bathroom, Rei exhaled and turned his head to look at me.
“How is it you get sexier with each day?” He asked.
I giggled while I drew up the bath stool and sat. “Here you go, darling?”
He pulled himself up a little and accepted the glass. Rei sipped then set it on the edge of the tub and met my gaze.
“How was your day?” I asked.
“Long.” He replied. “But I’m happy. I stopped in to check on Mouth. He’s on the mend.”
We talked until his second drink was all gone before I left him to climb out and get dressed. I set the table and brought our meal out. By the time Rei joined me, my nerves were beginning to get the better of me.
He wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my neck. I was taking a moment to enjoy the feel of him against me when the doorbell rang.
I groaned. “Expecting anyone?”
