that Cipher was all-in with her.
“Do I get one?” She touched her chest. “Can I put your name on my body?”
He seemed pleased by the idea. “Some mates do. It’s your decision.”
Outwardly bold but trembling with nervousness inside, she closed the distance between them and slowly extended her hand toward his tattooed arm. She traced the markings on his skin, fascinated by the secret story they told. She wanted to learn this coding language so she could read his tale and understand him on a deeper level.
Cipher’s breathing shifted as she moved her fingers over his wet skin, her fingertips gliding in the water and soap still clinging to him. She kept her eyes on his chest and arm, but she could feel the rise in the front of his towel as he grew aroused by her. It would be so easy to tug on his towel and finally see what he looked like, to discover what he felt like if she stroked the length of his manhood. She glanced up at him, seeing the tension in his jaw and the fire in his eyes. Remembering how he had shut her down earlier, she pulled her hand away and stepped back. “You should finish your shower before the soap dries.”
His nostrils flared, and he inhaled a ragged breath. For a moment, he wavered. She could see indecision warring in his eyes. He wanted to pick her up and throw her on the bed, ruck up her hospital gown and bury himself inside her. She wanted it just as much as he did.
But he didn’t.
He nodded stiffly and retreated to the bathroom to finish his shower. Feeling both frustrated and amused, she cleaned up the water he had dripped all over the floor and climbed into the bed to wait for him, rolling onto her side in a comfortable position. He wasn’t gone long, and when he returned, freshly showered and wearing only a pair of shorts, he turned down the lights and slid into bed behind her. Her heart stuttered wildly in her chest as she waited for him to make a move.
Finally, he draped his arm over her waist and hauled her back against his body. He nuzzled her neck and kissed her cheek. She relaxed into him, relishing the heat he shared and feeling secure and protected. He must have felt the same way because his breaths deepened, and soon, he was asleep.
Rest didn’t come as easily for her. She couldn’t stop thinking about Terror. His angry shouts echoed in her mind. The urge to talk to him couldn’t be ignored. Until she saw him, she wouldn’t be able to sleep.
Years of living in the woods, hunting and tracking, helped her ease out of bed without waking Cipher. He looked so relaxed in bed, and she wanted to get back to him as quickly as possible. Barefoot, she moved quietly to the smaller box of oxygen that Chance had switched her over to during his last visit before the end of his shift. It was light and easy to carry.
After taking one of the oranges and tucking it away in a pocket of her too-big gown, she pressed her ear to the door and listened carefully. Fairly confident the hallway was clear, she unlocked and opened the door slowly, holding her breath and hoping it wouldn’t squeak. She slipped through the small gap and into the hallway. The medic station was empty. She guessed the medics were doing their rounds and wondered how much time she had until someone noticed she was missing. Not long, she supposed, and hurried off to find Terror.
Uncertain where he was, she tried to pinpoint the area where the shouting originated. Choosing a hallway that seemed darker than the others, she crept along, staying close to the wall. None of the rooms she passed were occupied. Their doors were open and their interiors dark. She paused outside one empty room, noting the missing glass in the window and the door hanging from its hinges. Certain she was getting closed, she kept going.
At the very end of the hall, there was a faint glow of blue-white light through a frosted window. She couldn’t see inside, but she strongly suspected this was Terror’s room. Hoping he wouldn’t go berserk, she rapped her knuckles against his door before opening it. When she stepped inside, she found him sitting in a chair in the far corner, his face hidden in the shadows. True to his name, he