heat wave jarred me awake at dusk before my alarm got the chance. Sweat coated me head to toe, and I was sticky with it. I showered before collapsing onto the futon, but I still smelled…well-done. Probably my hair got burned. I might not have minded so much if I hadn’t registered the cause for my hot flashes.
Midas was wrapped around me like a blanket. His strong arms locked around my waist, and his muscular legs tangled with mine. His chin rested on my shoulder, and he snored lightly in my ear. He was boneless against me, utterly relaxed, and I could have stayed like that with him forever and been happy.
As if sensing I had woken, Midas growled and tightened his grip, reminding me last night had taken its toll on me.
“Good morning to you too.” I reached back, ignoring the twang of pulled muscle, and patted his cheek. “You don’t have to get up with me.”
“I need to report to the den,” he mumbled. “Gotta update Mom.”
“I need to report to HQ.” I tapped his hands where they rested on my tender ribs. “And I have to pee.”
Slowly, as if considering the merits of ignoring me, he let me go. “Come back when you’re done.”
Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I had to force my legs to get with the program. Midas in bed, his lashes fanning his cheeks, was more tempting than anything on my docket for the day. “No.”
Another growl slipped from between his lips, and he swiped out his arm to grab me. I leapt onto my feet in the nick of time, laughing at his frustrated snarl when he closed his fist over air, then hissed through my teeth as a wave of stabbing pain blindsided me.
Midas stood in front of me in a blink. “How bad is it?”
“I’ve had worse.” I got my breath back and straightened. “Abbott warned me to take it easy.”
Worry pinched his features. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“I hurt me.” I rubbed my side and regretted it. “I shouldn’t have forgotten I’m not an Olympic gymnast.”
“I held you all day,” he fretted. “Maybe we should drop in on Abbott, get your x-rays done again.”
“You’re the only reason I slept all day.” I shoved him and regretted that too. “And besides, Abbott is mean to me.”
“He didn’t throw that bedpan at you.”
“It hit at my feet,” I reminded him. “He could have crushed a toe.”
“It slipped out of his hand.” Midas kept his face blank. “It was an accident.”
“An accident?” I yanked down the collar of my tee to expose my clavicles. “What about this?”
Scrawled in black permanent marker were the words Highly Flammable.
“You did get blown up twice in one week.” Midas tried and failed to hide his smile. “He’s under a lot of stress.”
“I’m not going back to the infirmary, and you can’t make me.” I jutted out my chin. “So there.”
“How can I counter such a mature and rational argument?”
“It’s impossible.” I shrugged. “I win yet again.”
“Can you get to HQ solo?” He checked the time. “I can take you to the general area if you need a lift.”
“I bet you fifty bucks Bishop is on the fire escape waiting for me to let him in.”
Remy had been out there when we got in last night. She wanted to check and see if I was alive. Bishop hadn’t been letting me out of his sight since Natisha entered the picture. I didn’t see him relaxing his vigil now that we had declared all-out war on the coven.
“That’s a bad bet.” Midas shook his head. “I’ll take it if you take mine.”
“What’s on offer?”
“I bet you the same fifty dollars Ares is waiting for me in the hall.”
“How weird is it we’ve got people waiting to walk us to work like we’re children? Do they think we’ll bolt without adult supervision?”
“I notice you’re implying we’re not adults or able to supervise ourselves.” His lips pulled to one side. “That lends weight to the argument we should be walked to work.”
Peeling my lips away from my teeth, I growled at him until my ribs protested the vibration.
“I really do love you.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “Even if newborn pup growls are scarier than yours.”
“I’m offended, but I’ll let you get away with it this time because you kiss pretty good.”
“Pretty good?”
“Eh.” I rolled a shoulder. “It’s been so long since you kissed me, I forget.”