She looked in the mirror and gasped. “I look awful! I can’t go to work like this—makeup won’t cover the swelling.” Wincing as she touched the bruising around her right eye and cheek, she opened the medicine cabinet and took out a pill.
After cleaning up and splashing cold water on her face several times, she wrapped the robe hanging on the back of the door around her and returned to the bedroom. Autumn smiled when she saw Chains sitting back against the headboard, speaking in a low voice to someone on the phone. She’d expected him to be dressed and ready to leave.
“So we’ll roll tomorrow night. Um… let me know what you find out. Later,” Chains said. Then he moved the phone from his ear to the nightstand. Looking up at her, he asked, “Are you hungry?”
“A little.” Autumn glanced down and saw copper eyes staring at her. “I know Cinder is. Who were you talking to?”
Chains stood up. “One of the brothers. Something we had planned for tonight got rescheduled.” He bent down and picked up his clothes. “I’m gonna take a shower, and you figure out what you want to order for dinner. I’m good with anything.”
“Okay. Shampoo and soap are on the shower shelves. Let me get you a towel.”
Chains leaned against the door jamb, his gaze fixed on her every move. “Thanks,” he said, gripping the bath towel. He yanked her to him and crushed her against his chest. “I’m gonna spend the night if that’s cool with you.”
Warmth spread through her. “I was hoping you would.”
Placing his fingers under her chin, he lifted her face to him. “Glad we’re on the same page,” he said, brushing his fingers across her mouth.
She kissed each one, and sucked the last one between her lips. A low growl rumbled from his throat and he pressed her closer.
“Fuck, Autumn.” He ground against her, and placed her hand on his stiff dick. “See what you do to me?” he said huskily.
Cinder meowed, then dashed over and rubbed several times against Autumn’s legs until she laughed and tugged out of Chains’s arms.
“My cat is calling,” she said.
Chains smacked her playfully on the ass. “That’s another raincheck, but I’m collecting on that one tonight.”
He turned around, and Autumn stood there for a few moments admiring the firmness of his butt and how it flexed when he moved. The bathroom door shut and Cinder bumped her head against Autumn’s ankle.
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” She bent down and scratched the cat under the chin. “Let’s get you some dinner.”
An hour later, Autumn snuggled beside Chains as they watched an action movie. Empty takeout cartons and beer cans littered the coffee table. With one fuzzy-socked foot, she moved a cardboard carton out of the way.
“Cinder! Down,” she said.
Chains pulled his arm away from her shoulder and pushed up from the couch. “Let me get this cleared up.”
Autumn pressed thePausebutton on the remote. “I’ll help.”
He shook his head. “Stay right where you are. I got this.” He stacked the boxes inside themselves, then scooped up three crushed beer cans and ambled to the kitchen.
Autumn couldn’t believe that Chains had been cool with ordering from the Spice Room. On his way to pick up the food, he’d stopped off to grab a twelve-pack of Coors and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk. The ice cream was a once-in-a-while indulgence, but after what Bret had done to her, Autumn needed the pint in the worst way. And the super cool thing was that Chains didn’t even bat an eye when she’d asked him to pick it up for her. All he wanted to know was how many she’d like. Autumn couldn’t believe that he didn’t give the tiniest bit of shit about her wanting the calorie laden dessert.Bret would’ve harped on it for days, always reminding me that I could stand to lose a few pounds. How can these two be brothers?
“Do you want anything else from the kitchen?” Chains asked, slicing through her thoughts.
“Just you.” She laughed.
“You got that, baby. You don’t want the ice cream?”
A huge grin spread across her face. “Maybe later.”
Chains came back with two beers, which he put on the end table next to the couch. Settling back down on the couch, he circled his arm around Autumn and tugged her close.
“Would you eat Indian food again?” she asked before hitting thePlaybutton.
“Yeah. It was really good and spicy.” Gently, those wonderful lips pressed against hers, soft and strong all at once. “Good choice,” he whispered against her mouth.
Autumn leaned further into him and cupped his cheek. He captured her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing each knuckle and finger.