Page 105 of Leave a Mark
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LEE’S PHONE ANNOUNCEDfive a.m. After he silenced it, Wren felt him pull her against his warmth and kiss her on the forehead. Her heart turned over in her chest. She’d told him everything. She’d told him, and he hadn’t wanted to leave. The last two nights, she’d slept in the circle of his embrace, and it was the safest, warmest place she’d ever known.
Lying in bed with him, she rarely stirred awake, but the couple of times she had, Lee would stir, too. He’d resettle them together and tuck her head against his heart or spoon behind her, depending on which way she rolled. His devotion and desire — even half-asleep — moved her like nothing else.
When his snooze alarm went off again, Wren squeezed him tight, earning a sleepy chuckle from him before she let him go.
“Going feed and walk Victor before I shower,” he whispered. “I’ll come kiss you goodbye when I leave.”
“Okay.”
Lee slipped out of bed and drew the covers up around her again, tucking her in. The gesture made her smile. She closed her eyes and listened to him move through her apartment, talking sweetly to his dog. His puppy love was the cutest thing in the world. Even without the puppy, Lee Hawthorne was pretty damn cute.
Wren rolled onto her back and listened as they went out and came back in moments later, Lee praising Victor for being such a good boy. The light in her bathroom clicked on, the closing door softening it, and she heard him turn on the shower.
It was then Wren remembered he had a twenty-four-hour shift ahead of him. How could he manage it? She’d had the day off yesterday, and she was still exhausted. Wren kicked off the covers and got out of bed. If he was going to work until this time tomorrow, she wasn’t going to let him leave on an empty stomach.
She managed to slip into the bathroom undetected, but when she turned on the faucet to brush her teeth, Lee poked his head out of the shower, his dark hair sudsy with her shampoo, his neck and shoulders glistening.
“Why aren’t you in bed?”
“I got up,” she said around her toothbrush, making him grin.
“You should go back to bed. That’s where I’d be if I didn’t have to get up.”
Wren rinsed and spit. “Finish your shower.”
“If you’re not going back to bed, come join me.” He opened the shower door a little wider, and Wren let herself take a peek. Holy cow. It didn’t matter how many times she saw him; she’d always want to take a peek.
But she managed to shake her head. “Tempting, but no.”
Undaunted, mischief lit his eyes. “C’mon. You said I always get my way. Why break that streak?”
She gave him an eye roll and left the bathroom to the sound of his laughter.
Two minutes later, Wren cracked three eggs into her cast iron skillet. She hoped Lee liked them over-easy. The toast popped, and she swapped the pieces out with two more slices of bread when she heard his shower cut off.
With a practiced hand, she deftly flipped the first egg and let it come sizzling down. It held together perfectly, glazed in just a little coconut oil, and she moved onto the others. She’d just buttered the last piece of toast when Lee walked in and stopped in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
Wren glanced over her shoulder to see him wearing sexy slacks, a gray button down, and a confused look.
“I’m making you breakfast.” She turned back to the task, so she didn’t notice him approach until his hands settled on her hips and his mouth met her neck.
“You’re making me breakfast?” he asked, his voice filled with awe.
“Uh… yeah. That’s what I said.” She aimed her sarcasm at him with a side-eye glance, but when she saw the look on his face, she sobered. She quickly moved her skillet off the burner and turned. “What? What’s wrong?”
He just stared at her for a moment, his eyes molten, his lips parted. In the next instant, his right hand came up over her mouth, and his left met the small of her back. He tugged her forward until her pelvis pressed against him.
Her “What the—” came out “Rut la—” and Lee’s eyes locked with hers.
“Wren…” His lashes seemed to weigh down his eyelids.
She’d never noticed how long they were. And the blue in his eyes never looked so endless.
“…I love you.”
