“Where are you?” His voice has lost its husky undertone.
I rub my head, the weariness creeping back in. “I’m walking home.”
“Why? Alone? Why now?”
“It’s nothing.” I sigh and push off the wall, starting my short walk home. “Zack overreacted. I ate something bad and got sick, so he sent me home—”
“So, you are alone?” I hear a door close and pull the phone away from my ear, squinting to concentrate on the sound. “Give me ten. I’ll be right there.”
I stop at a crosswalk. “By the time you get in the car, Cole, I’ll be walking into my apartment. I can see it now.”
“You should have called me, Savi.” His voice is quiet.
I yawn, and my eyes water. “Cole, you need to stop worrying about me. Believe it or not, I did keep myself alive for twenty-nine years.”
I hear ice, then a slow pour of liquid, no doubt brandy. “Sorry,” he mumbles. “I know you’re perfectly capable of walking a few blocks. But I’ll never stop worrying about you, baby. I’ve lost you too many times to allow it to happen again. Where are you now?”
I chuckle quietly. “Truthfully?” I glance at the stairs. “I’m waiting for the world’s slowest elevator because I’m too damn tired to walk up five flights of stairs.”
“You want me to come?”
“Always,” I respond without missing a beat, “but no, you enjoy your evening. Truly, I’m just going to shower and head to bed. Zack told me not to come back until I feel up to it, so I’m going to sleep in, and I’ll see you tomorrow at five for our date.”
“Well, don’t hang up with me until I know you’re inside, okay?”
“Okay.” I shove my key into the hole and unlock all the locks. When the door opens, I almost want to cry, I’m so happy.
“Hey, baby,” Cole says, sitting onmychair and holding a glass of brandy inmydamn living room.
“How?” I ask, not really caring. I just want to be wrapped in his warm arms.
“Zack called me and said you weren’t well. I was already in town, and I was going to come by, but he said you had already left. I thought I’d surprise you.” He stands as I come over and rest my frozen cheek on his chest. His arms wrap me up, and I let out a sigh and a long yawn. “Why don’t you go get changed, and I’ll make you something to eat?”
“Okay.” I nod and peel myself away from him.
My shower lasts three minutes. I dry and slip into Cole’s Army shirt that I love, and then crawl onto the couch where my makeshift bed is made. Cole sets a cup of soup on the table along with some crackers. He sits beside me and encourages me to eat, but instead, I lay my head on his lap, pull the covers over me, and drift off to sleep with his hand combing my hair. It’s perfect.
“It had been a busy day.” His words pull me out from my fog. “We’d just returned home. We had found someone who’d been missing for six months. He needed to be hospitalized, so he didn’t stay at Shadows. I was in the middle of playing catch-up with my emails when John brought the file to me. It took me two days before I had a chance to open it.” He twists a piece of my hair around his finger. I’m so tired, I can’t open my eyes, so I just listen to his story.
“It was the middle of the night, pouring rain, when I decided to move to the couch to be closer to the fire.” He stops, chuckling a little. “This was back when Scoot wouldn’t leavemyside. The moment I opened that file, your eyes held me captive.” His finger gently glides along my jawbone and trails up toward my temple. He makes my skin tingle, heightening my senses. “I think I stared at it for hours. Wondering what your voice sounded like, what your touch felt like, what your lips tasted like. I was completely consumed with your case after that. I turned down two assignments because I got a break on yours, and I couldn’t let go.” He stops talking, but his hand keeps moving. I almost drift off but fight it as I am enjoying his sudden openness. He seems a million miles away. “When I saw you lying in that bed, so small, and scared…I think a piece of my heart shifted out of place. I didn’t realize how strong my feelings ran for you…” He leans down, brushing his lips over my ear. “I’m scared.” His whisper nearly breaks me. “I’ve fallen for you, Savannah. Please catch me.”
I start to move—I want to hold him—when I hear him clear his throat. I decide to leave him alone, let him have this moment as I try to control my own emotions trying to surface.
I love this man.
I wake to bright sun blasting through my window, and it takes me a few moments to realize I’m in bed. But what’s odd is the sun is in a different place. I stretch my sniff neck to see the time and nearly gasp. Three thirty-two in the afternoon! What the hell? My hand runs along the opposite side, but it’s cold. I wonder when Cole left and how he’s feeling. My stomach grumbles, forcing me up and out of bed. I really wish it would decide whether it’s feeling better or not.
The bathroom still has his scent. I pull back the shower curtain to find his body wash resting on the shelf next to mine, holding my breath at the sight. It’s funny how something so small makes me grin like a fool. Why? Because to put it simply, it’s just…normal. I grab my phone off the nightstand and snap a picture. I attach it to a text message.
Savi: Thank you for giving me a normal moment. I love you.
The kitchen is spotless. He must have done my dishes from last night, and my temporary bed has been tidied and returned to my bedroom. I grab a banana and notice a note stuck to my coffee maker. I laugh, thinking he would know I’d never miss it here.
Good morning, my Savannah, there’s nothing better than waking up next to you. I won’t lie, I will be late for work this morning. I watched you sleep for about an hour. Have I ever told you you’re beautiful? See you tonight.
Yours ~ C
My grin makes my cheeks ache while I stick the note to my fridge so I won’t lose it. My stomach rolls, only this time the thought of eating seems pretty damn good. I open my fridge and grab everything I can.