I climbed up on the end of his bed where the covers were still neatly tucked in and shook my head. “I was thinking about your ribbon. If you let me have it, I can take it to be analyzed by a friend. Maybe she can get something out of it.”
He opened his bedside table drawer and pulled it out. For a moment, I wasn't sure he would hand it over, but then he carefully laid it between us on the semi-mussed covers.
I picked it up. “I'll be careful with it. I promise.”
“I know you will,” he said, his voice rough from sleep. “Try to get some more rest. Who knows what we face tomorrow?”
Psh. I climbed back off his bed and walked toward the door. “The only thing I’m facing tomorrow is a caffeine coma and too much of Holly’s French toast. Night.”
IN THE MORNING, FIN made no indication that I’d snuck into his room or saw him shirtless—thank you, Jesus—and we went to see my friend Tegan at the station together.
She took one look at us and shook her head. “No, not happening. The last time you asked me for a favor, I ended up getting cited for professional misconduct.”
I ducked toward Fin. “It wasn’t my fault she decided to use her taser on an unassuming bystander.”
“The bystander was about to club you with a broken bottle,” Tegan said.
I shrugged. “It happens. Anyway, I saved you from that werewolf that one time. You owe me.”
“You mean that loose dog whose name is Josie and lives with my sister now? Yeah, I don’t owe you shit.”
Fin snorted and hid it behind his hand.
I glared between them, then faced off with her again. “Come on, Teags. It’s nothing dangerous. I need something analyze
d by the lab. Promise, it won’t blow up this time.”
She glared, and I pulled the ribbon from my pocket. Fin seemed to draw closer to follow it as I handed it over to her.
“A ribbon?” she asked, staring between us like we might have the answer to the question she missed.
“Can you do it?” I pressed, ignoring Fin’s hulking presence next to me.
Tegan huffed. “Fine, I’ll call you later if the lab tech gets anything. But, speaking of favors, who’s your friend?”
She hadn’t bothered to moderate her tone, so I didn’t wither.
I jerked my thumb to my right, towards Fin. “This one. My babysitter.”
“How much does he charge an hour? I’ll pay extra for him to put me to bed,” Tegan said with a mischievous grin.
Fin’s eyebrows flickered upwards, but overall he seemed to take our banter well.
We started to leave, but I added over my shoulder, “Tell the tech to be careful with that ribbon, please.”
Back outside the station, Fin stuffed his hands into black suit pants and stared up and down the street as if women offered to jump into his bed on a regular basis. They probably did.
“I could have just compelled her to get the ribbon tested.” Fin said. “You wouldn’t have had to go through that whole song and dance.”
I smiled and walked toward the parking garage where the captain waited for us. “We enjoy that song and dance, trust me. And you being there helped sell it. Nothing Tegan loves more than a pretty face.”
Once we were safely nestled back into the captain’s care in the SUV, he pulled away from the curb, my brain burning with questions. And the desire to call the captain by his first name just to fuck with him.
I shifted in the seat to face Fin and watched him closely. He seemed more real today, almost human. There were lines grooved into his forehead, and his eyes sported slight bags.
“Are you all right?” I asked.
It wasn’t the first question I had for him, but it was the one that sprang out when I opened my mouth.