“Fuck me, it’s a regular British Bake Off in here,” Keys grumbled. “I don’t care who makes what, but where’s the fucking goods?”
“Needs to prove.”
He shook his head. “It’s messed up that you get a kick out of baking,” he grumbled.
“Why? When we get to reap the benefits?” Ama replied, peering over her shoulder with a frown.
“Because dude’s a Rebel.”
“So, what? Needs to be killing shit and blowing up crap all the time? Dude, even John McClane needed a break.”
I grinned. “Love that Die Hard is one of your favorite movies.”
Keys grunted. “No taste, that’s what.” He clapped his hands. “Get moving. I want some treats.”
Ama gave me a final squeeze then headed to the fridge. As she moved in that direction, she shoved Keys out the way, and a little tussle ensued—just like it would have if she hadn’t claimed us. I grinned at the sight, relieved to see that, to be honest. It was natural and playful and how we usually were together. I didn’t want that to change, and it seemed like it hadn’t. Except this time, they were both half naked, and when she did shove him, he jangled.
Staring at him with rounded eyes, she blurted out, “Where the hell did you shove the keys? You’re naked save for your boxers.”
I rolled my eyes when he grabbed his junk. “I’ll only reveal my secrets under strip search conditions.”
A startled laugh escaped her, and she tilted her head to the side, cocked her hip like she was a pro, and told him, “Honey, you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
And fuck if she wasn’t wrong.
❖
Keys
Five days later
When I woke up, I saw her. She was the first thing in my line of sight, and I had to admit, it was worth anything to get this uninhibited view first thing.
She literally was a sight for sore—in this case—tired eyes.
With her blonde hair spread all over the pillow, her eyes closed, and her long lashes fluttering faintly and covering the shadows rimming them, it was like watching an angel sleep.
I didn’t want to wake her. Couldn’t. She needed the rest. Before I’d moved out of her parents’ home and into the clubhouse when I was seventeen, I’d heard her nightmares. Every fucking night.
I hadn’t forgotten, but I just…
I sighed.
I’d forgotten.
Out of sight, out of mind.
But now that I was here, back with her and sharing a bed, I heard them every night and it killed me. Knowing she had demons in her sleep I couldn’t vanquish? It slaughtered me.
Releasing a deep breath, I refrained, barely, from reaching over and cupping her chin. She needed the Z’s, and I did get a kick out of watching her rest because these moments were unique to us. Thanks to the time I’d lived with her and her family, I’d seen her at every point of the day, even early in the morning, but I’d never seen these moments.
She was innocence and sex combined—that mix should have been impossible, but here she was. Walking proof of it.
I didn’t have to lift my head to know we were alone. For the past week or so, ever since we’d started sleeping over at Ink’s home, I always woke up with her last, and I enjoyed these silent moments. Especially enjoyed the way she was curled into me when I woke up.
Sure, not even the AC could stop our skin from sticking together in the muggy heat, but I even appreciated that. I loved the closeness, loved the intimacy, and I didn’t give a fuck if that made me sound like a pussy. I knew some of the brothers would really get a kick out of making me suffer for some of my thoughts, but that was because they weren’t lucky enough to have a woman like Ama to wake up to.
“You’re thinking.”
Her sleep-slurred words had my lips twitching because it was something Saint, Ama, and me tended to accuse each other of a lot. With contentment in my veins, I reached over and ran my hands through the tips of her hair that lay between our heads on the bright blue pillows. In contrast, her hair looked even more like spun gold.
“I have a brain. It’s what brains do.”
“Not at this time of the morning,” she grumbled. “It’s way too early for thinking.”
That had me smiling for real, and I leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, loving her scent, loving her warmth against me as she tilted her head and