“He’ll get over it.” Nick waves it away. “I’d rather make sure Sophie’s okay.”
After a few more hands and Gunner’s assurance that somehow Diana is staying overnight at the hospital, we go our separate ways. I get some work done, then head to bed. I deal with loud, gunfire-filled nightmares where I can’t outrun anything and feel every bullet rip through me.
Jumping up, I hear a gasp and see Sophie coming in. I adjust on my bed and grab my prosthetic, making sure I’m attached before I rub over my forehead. “What time is it?”
“One … in the afternoon. I spent half of today at the office and decided I’m going to do half and half since most of what I do I can get done at home.” She admits. “Although right now, all I want to do is sleep.”
I move back in my bed and leave the blanket lifted for her to join me. Sophie slides in, cuddling close to me. She knots her fingers in my shirt, then kisses along the collar of my shirt. Her lips send shivers skittering down my back, but I promise myself I’m going to behave. We need more tender moments between us.
Sophie snuggles against me, her light perfume seeping into my existence until I can’t hold my eyes open anymore. She’s warm, soft, sweet. She’s the perfect teddy bear to fight off every monster in the dark.
I spoon her close to me and nuzzle the back of her neck. She hums low in her throat. “That feels good, Hold.”
“I’ll make you feel good when we get up. First, we need some decent sleep.”
And she doesn’t argue. I don’t have any dreams at all when Sophie is here. I just drift aimlessly in a black sleep that seems to consume me entirely. But when I wake up, I’m alone. I look around nervously, sure some kind of shit hit the fan.
My phone tells me that Sophie’s mom came home and she didn’t want to be caught here. I roll my eyes and force myself to work while hating the fact that Sophie can’t just stay here as long as she likes. She should be free to do what she wants when she wants as an adult.
I shake my head and remind myself to push out of my usual method of doing things. I’m not going to think one idea to death until I finally commit to it. I’m going to move forward; take the steps I need to keep pushing and driving myself forward.
So I work. I get through the day, then I go down to the gym and work out with Nick. He nods to me, and we get through a cardio-intensive workout with minimal conversation. Nick doesn’t push for things like that, which I appreciate considering I rarely have something on my mind that I want to discuss.
As we cool down, Nick hands me some water. “How are you feeling?”
I nod once, take a drink, then nod again. “Good.”
“No stiffness or new pain?”
“Nope.”
“You know you could tell me, and I’d try to help, not hold you back, right? I’m not going to be a dick to you like I was to others overseas.”
“I know. Old habits die hard.” I shrug.
Nick rolls his eyes. He’d called out guys left and right for not seeing the medic to prevent infection, but some guys were determined that if they could lose a hand or foot, they’d be able to go home. It was a kind of madness that threatened everyone at some point.
Nick nods. “See you for dinner?”
“Maybe, but no promises.” I shrug.
I end up working through dinner and don’t grab a snack until almost nine. Nick has Sophie on the counter, devouring her mouth. I chuckle to myself as I pick through the fridge for leftovers. Before I can make a choice, a hand wraps around my wrist, and I turn to see Sophie watching me as Nick kisses down her throat.
Shutting the fridge, I claim her mouth, licking deep as her tongue dances with mine. I groan and grab her ass as her hand slides up under my shirt, stroking over my suddenly hot skin. I groan and nip her bottom lip.
Nick pulls at her shirt until I release her and help him lift it over her head. He kisses across her breasts as she moans. “I like how we use the kitchen.”
“You’re a feast.” He purrs against her skin.
Sophie’s eyes burn through me, and I nod as I cup her face in my hand before kissing her again. My hand slides up between her thighs and pushes her underwear to the side. She shivers, then spreads her legs wider for me, nodding against me as her fingers wrap around the back of my head and pull me closer.
I groan as I rub her wet clit, teasing her with slow circles, then steady up and down motions. She gasps and pulls away to try and muffle a moan as I kiss across her throat.
She tastes so good, every inch of her. Her mouth, her skin, her pussy. Nick frees her breasts of her bra, letting them spill out before his mouth claims one of her tight nipples. Sophie rubs the growing bulge in my sweats, and I pant before biting the inside of her shoulder.
“Ooh.” She groans as I push one finger inside of her.
“Do you want to come?” I ask in her ear. “Right here?”