She scoots to the edge of the couch. Ready to get into it. Ready to be that girl saying she wants no strings but really ready to hog-tie herself with every Seth-string she can get her greedy little hands on. “Yeah, but ...”
Her words choke off as the stabbiest of stabby pain wrenches her stomach. She sucks in a hiss, resting a hand on the throbbing wound. Clearly all her running around is coming back to bite her in the ass.
In an instant, Seth’s hands land on hers, gently pulling up her shirt. “Let me see.”
She shivers as his lean fingers frame her bandage, brushing over her bare waist. His expression fierce, his shrewd eyes scan her for injury. Then, satisfied she’s okay, he looks up. Cups her cheek like it’s the most natural gesture in the world. His eyes soften, search hers.
“Lace, I want you relaxin’, you hear me?” Worry stains his drawl.
She juts her chin. “I am relaxed.”
“No, you ain’t. C’mere.”
And then he’s taking her in his arms and pulling her back against him. His solid body the perfect cradle, the perfect couch.
Lacey lets out a sigh. She doesn’t know if it’s joy or frustration. Seth’s hold like the lull of a gentle rocking chair. She closes her eyes, oblivious to the screaming on TV, oblivious to everything but Seth’s strong arms around her.
Lacey wakes to movement, to being carried. Blinking away sleep, she murmurs, “What happened?”
“With the movie or with you?” Seth’s deep rumble comes from above her. His breath tickles her hair. “The zombies ate the brains, and you’re damn exhausted.”
Inside the bedroom, Seth sets her on the bed and turns on the nightstand lamp. “Does it hurt?” he asks quietly, catching her wince as she reclines against the pillows.
She gives him a tight smile. “Not too bad.”
“Sorry,” he says, slipping off her slippers. “I was tryin’ to be careful.” He pulls the sheet up around her, an amused expression crossing his face. “You snore, you know.”
She narrows her eyes. “I do not.”
Seth crosses to the other side of the room and sits on the edge of the bed. Lacey watches as he slips off his jeans and T-shirt, getting down to boxer briefs. Her stomach tumbles as she takes in the view of his tan, athletic frame. Tall, broad-shouldered, lean and muscular.
It’s nothing she hasn’t seen before, but somehow, Seth being here in her bedroom, with nothing sexual between them, makes it even more personal. Hotter.
Lacey chases away the thought, only to be hit by another. “Where’s my phone?”
A sigh from Seth. He crawls into bed beside her, flipping on his shoulder to look at her. “Left it in the livin’ room.” A line appears between his brows. “Take a break, Lacey. You ain’t workin’ at midnight.”
Lacey rolls onto her side, mimicking Seth’s stance. Which she instantly regrets, because she meets those eyes. Searching, as blue as the sea, seeing right through her.
“I can’t take a break,” she says, sticking her hands under her cheek so she doesn’t brush his unruly hair out of his eyes. “I’m on track for a promotion and we’re busy. Prentiss isn’t exactly big on time off. He expects us to be there for clients twenty-four seven. Weekends, weekdays, holidays.”
“Emergency health situations,” Seth adds in disgust.
She nods. “Pretty much.”
“What about Christmas? You thinkin’ of comin’?”
Guilt floods her and she groans. “Sal asked, and I want to, but ... I have to save my vacation for the baby. I used up more than I could when Sal came back and I’m still making up for it.”
“You should come,” he says simply. “Sal wants you to.”
She smiles, softening, always softening toward Seth when he talks about Sal. He’s done so much for her sister. He’s the one who found Sal in that Florida diner, who pulled her out of that terror, away from that monster who kept her, and brought her back to Luke.
Lacey lets out a long breath, the long-overdue words sticking in her throat. “You know, I don’t think I ever thanked you for that.”
He frowns, puzzled. Adorably earnest. “For what?”
Her mouth kicks up at the corner. “You found my sister, Seth. You brought her back to everyone. You brought her back to me. The only family I have.”