″What?”
″Protect what’s mine.”
That phrase again?It’s messing with me. Twisting my stomach with butterflies. On one hand, it sounds… nice… to belong to someone. On the other, it’s weird and possessive and reminds me of Jason’s unwarranted jealousy.
He presses his lips to my cheek, igniting a flame in my stomach. “Do you think the person that’s been watching you could be Jason?”
I roll my tongue across my teeth as I contemplate. Jason is the obvious answer, but I don’t think that he’d fly across the country to stalk me. It would be hard to explain months of being away to Mom.
″I think that it’s unlikely,” I say.
″So do I. But I wanted to be sure.”
″When is Scotty coming back?”
He grunts, pulling me to his side. “He’ll be back in a few days.”
″He didn’t do anything wrong, Cal. I was with you. He didn’t abandon his post.” My eyes roll with annoyance.
″He didn’t ask permission to leave the property, and because of that, he put you at risk.”
″I trust him. I want him back.”
″Soon, love. I need him for a few things.”
″Okay.” I yawn, resting my head on Cal’s shoulder.
″Let’s get you to bed.”
″No. I want to stay with you.”
″You can. Up in your bed.”
″Cal.” I drawl his name into a whine. I want to fall asleep with him, but not in my bed. It’s too intimate and I’m not ready.
He huffs as he stands and starts undressing. “Fine. But I’m not sleeping in this bloody suit.” He unbuttons his shirt and tosses it to the floor. His pants are next. Before I know it, my mafia man is half naked, dressed in only boxers.
Callum’s body is nice, and I’m surprised that I’m not feeling squeamish with him.
I smirk. “Fine. Then I’m not sleeping in thisbloodydress.” I lift the material over my head, revealing my bra and underwear.
His eyes dart to my chest as he licks his lips. “You’re going to make me stroke out one day.” He mumbles and grabs the oversized blanket stuffed in a basket.
He plops onto the couch, settling in so that his back is against the armrest. Then I settle between his legs, my head resting on his chest. His body is so warm that I probably don’t even need the blanket. Even so, I take it, covering us up.
His breathing settles into a rhythm as I listen to the heartbeat of his chest and it doesn’t take long for me to drift off to sleep in his arms as he strokes my hair.
Chapter nineteen
Idranktoomuchred wine last night.
My head is pounding as Haley stirs on the couch. Even from our place in the living room, the morning lights hits my eyes through the bay windows of her dining room. I sit up, stretching my arms above my head.
Haley yawns, her eyes still closed. She’s sprawled out on the couch, wearing nothing but her bra and underwear. I blacked out somewhere around the second bottle of wine. Drinking whiskey at my parents’, then coming here and switching to wine messed me up.
My stomach grumbles as Haley sits up, rubbing her eyes. Her eyes widen as she glances over my body, then stands. “Shit. I don’t think I’ve slept so good in my life.”
″I’m glad you did. This couch is not comfortable,” I say, rubbing the kink in my neck.