replied, feeling awkward. For the first time in a very long time, I had no idea what to do. Usually self-confident and not a little impulsive, I found myself in uncharted waters with no course of action.
“How’s Harley?” I asked, turning in the chair so that I could face him. His head was leaning back against the couch, his eyes closed. I thought for a moment he had fallen asleep, but his features twisted in a grimace.
“I don’t know what’s worse-the fire or what it’s done to her. She’s not in a good place right now.”
“I should go up to her.” I stood, feeling ashamed. She had taken care of me after Padraigan, and I was sitting down here, doing nothing but fighting with myself.
As I passed him, his hand shot out and caught my arm.
“She’s asleep. She’ll be fine until morning.”
“Noah, it is morning.”
He let out a hoarse chuckle, and tugged my arm. I let him pull me down, and I landed next to him. He tucked me under his shoulder, and it felt so right that I twisted into him until I was resting my head on his chest. I had no idea where he got a shirt from, unless he had gotten it from Gareth’s closet, but it was clean. The same could not be said for my nightshirt or his jeans.
“Gareth and Anna are going to freak when they get home and see how filthy their furniture is.” I mumbled against his shirt. His hand had come up and his fingers were massaging my scalp, the long fingers gentle and soothing.
“I’ll have it cleaned for them. I think they will understand.”
It grew quiet again, and the rhythmic feel of his fingers were lulling me to sleep. Peace stole over me, but I fought against falling into oblivion.
“Noah, what did the fire marshal say?” I tried to sit up, but his arm tightened to keep me still, so I settled back and he resumed his massage of my scalp.
“They’ll know more in the morning. I gave them my cell phone number to call, let them know that you and Harley are with me.”
“Did you see how…how bad it is?” I found it hard to ask, because I didn’t really want to know. The morning would bring it all crashing down soon enough, and I wanted this night to come to terms with all the feelings crashing against each other inside me.
“Teagan, let’s worry about that later. I’m exhausted, you’re exhausted, and Harley’s nearly catatonic.” I could hear the exhaustion in his voice; I hated to keep him awake. However, despite not feeling jealous anymore, I still wanted to know why he paid so much attention to Harley when he had come back.
“Why didn’t you come to me first when you came back from Written?” I hated the way my voice sounded, all small and hurt. It was not something that I had ever thought I would hear coming from myself.
“What?” I could feel him looking down at me, so I swiveled my head around. His face was inches from mine, surprise lighting those blue eyes.
“When you came in, you went right to Harley and didn’t even look at me. I just wanted to know why.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but as close as we were, I don’t think he bought it.
“Well, for one thing, you were the stronger one. Harley hadn’t said a word since I had tossed her over my shoulder, but at least you were muttering curses the whole way here from Written.” He replied, his fingers brushing across my cheek.
“And the other reason?” I prodded when he didn’t go on.
“Because if I had gone to you first, I wouldn’t have been able to leave you alone, even to take Harley upstairs.” He finally whispered, placing a tender kiss on my forehead.
“Noah, we need to talk-” I started to say, but he cut me off with an even more tender kiss to my lips. It was intoxicating, and my heart started its race again.
“Not tonight, if it’s okay with you. I really am exhausted. I think I pulled a muscle.” He grimaced, twisting his shoulder.
Despite the pulled muscle, he stood and scooped me up like he did Harley, and carried me up the stairs. I let
“How’s Harley?” I asked, turning in the chair so that I could face him. His head was leaning back against the couch, his eyes closed. I thought for a moment he had fallen asleep, but his features twisted in a grimace.
“I don’t know what’s worse-the fire or what it’s done to her. She’s not in a good place right now.”
“I should go up to her.” I stood, feeling ashamed. She had taken care of me after Padraigan, and I was sitting down here, doing nothing but fighting with myself.
As I passed him, his hand shot out and caught my arm.
“She’s asleep. She’ll be fine until morning.”
“Noah, it is morning.”
He let out a hoarse chuckle, and tugged my arm. I let him pull me down, and I landed next to him. He tucked me under his shoulder, and it felt so right that I twisted into him until I was resting my head on his chest. I had no idea where he got a shirt from, unless he had gotten it from Gareth’s closet, but it was clean. The same could not be said for my nightshirt or his jeans.
“Gareth and Anna are going to freak when they get home and see how filthy their furniture is.” I mumbled against his shirt. His hand had come up and his fingers were massaging my scalp, the long fingers gentle and soothing.
“I’ll have it cleaned for them. I think they will understand.”
It grew quiet again, and the rhythmic feel of his fingers were lulling me to sleep. Peace stole over me, but I fought against falling into oblivion.
“Noah, what did the fire marshal say?” I tried to sit up, but his arm tightened to keep me still, so I settled back and he resumed his massage of my scalp.
“They’ll know more in the morning. I gave them my cell phone number to call, let them know that you and Harley are with me.”
“Did you see how…how bad it is?” I found it hard to ask, because I didn’t really want to know. The morning would bring it all crashing down soon enough, and I wanted this night to come to terms with all the feelings crashing against each other inside me.
“Teagan, let’s worry about that later. I’m exhausted, you’re exhausted, and Harley’s nearly catatonic.” I could hear the exhaustion in his voice; I hated to keep him awake. However, despite not feeling jealous anymore, I still wanted to know why he paid so much attention to Harley when he had come back.
“Why didn’t you come to me first when you came back from Written?” I hated the way my voice sounded, all small and hurt. It was not something that I had ever thought I would hear coming from myself.
“What?” I could feel him looking down at me, so I swiveled my head around. His face was inches from mine, surprise lighting those blue eyes.
“When you came in, you went right to Harley and didn’t even look at me. I just wanted to know why.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but as close as we were, I don’t think he bought it.
“Well, for one thing, you were the stronger one. Harley hadn’t said a word since I had tossed her over my shoulder, but at least you were muttering curses the whole way here from Written.” He replied, his fingers brushing across my cheek.
“And the other reason?” I prodded when he didn’t go on.
“Because if I had gone to you first, I wouldn’t have been able to leave you alone, even to take Harley upstairs.” He finally whispered, placing a tender kiss on my forehead.
“Noah, we need to talk-” I started to say, but he cut me off with an even more tender kiss to my lips. It was intoxicating, and my heart started its race again.
“Not tonight, if it’s okay with you. I really am exhausted. I think I pulled a muscle.” He grimaced, twisting his shoulder.
Despite the pulled muscle, he stood and scooped me up like he did Harley, and carried me up the stairs. I let
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