Page 29 of Bennett (HC Heroes #15)

S unlight filtered through the slats of the blinds, drawing pale golden lines across the bedroom wall. Bennett blinked awake slowly, the kind of slow that only came after being thoroughly wrecked in the best damn possible way.

Laurel was curled into his side, bare and warm, and together, they were tangled in the sheets as if this was where they belonged.

Her head rested on his chest, one leg thrown across his, her hand lightly fisted near his ribs.

The soft rise and fall of her breath grounded him more than any damn mission ever had.

For a long moment, he just lay there, taking in the feel of the incredible woman, the weight of her gorgeous body against his, the press of her delectable thigh, the faint scent of strawberry shampoo clinging to her hair.

He didn’t move. Didn’t dare.

Because hell if this wasn’t the kind of moment that made a man forget the shadows outside the door.

Last night had been a blur of heat and laughter and something deeper he still didn’t have a name for.

After Carter’s interruption announcing the official completion of the building’s full security set-up minus the future additions for the storefronts, Bennett had walked him out to get the rundown.

Motion sensors, reinforced entry points, updated feeds…

everything was now locked up tight. Brandi’s team had also wrapped for the day, tools packed and lights off in the other units. The place had finally gone quiet.

And when he’d come back inside, he’d made his intentions a reality that rocked his damn world.

And now here they were.

His arm tightened around her slightly, fingers brushing the small of her back. She stirred, her breath hitching softly as she shifted against him, her hand sliding along his ribs in a way that made his thoughts take a hard turn from peaceful to primal.

She blinked sleepily and tilted her chin to look up at him. “Morning,” she whispered, her voice still thick with sleep.

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice low and scratchy. “Sleep okay?”

She nodded, her fingers lazily tracing a line down his chest. “I don’t remember the last time I felt that relaxed.” Her eyes narrowed slightly, a teasing glint there. “Even with your snoring.”

“I do not snore.”

“You absolutely do,” she said with a grin. “But it’s weirdly comforting.”

Bennett huffed a laugh and turned his head to kiss her hair. “You’re weirdly comforting.”

They fell quiet for a beat, the kind of silence that wasn’t awkward or heavy. Just…comfortable.

And that scared the hell out of him more than any ambush ever had.

He brushed his thumb over her spine. “I could get used to waking up like this.”

Her hand paused on his chest. She looked up again, her brow lifted, amusement lighting her eyes. “That almost sounded like something a romantic would say.”

“I thought we already covered this,” he said, deadpan. “I’m secretly poetic, remember?”

“Right.” She snickered. “Next, you’ll be building me bookshelves, which, by the way, I wouldn’t mind at all.”

He smirked. “I could, but it depends. What’s the prize for finishing Banned Book Bingo?”

Her fingers slid higher on his chest. “We’ll discuss it later. Maybe over coffee.”

“Deal.”

He kissed her again—slow, unhurried, no fire this time, just warmth. But there was heat waiting beneath it, waiting to be stoked again if either of them so much as blinked wrong.

Laurel broke the kiss and nestled her face into the crook of his neck. “This feels too good.”

“I know,” he said honestly. “But I’m not complaining.”

She hummed something in agreement and went quiet again.

And Bennett stared up at the ceiling, one arm around the woman curled into him, and knew without a doubt that everything was about to get a hell of a lot more complicated.

But for once in his life, he didn’t want to run from it.

Laurel slid out of bed first, dragging the sheet with her like it was armor, and shot him a mock glare over her shoulder. “No staring.”

Bennett propped an arm behind his head and smirked. “Too late.”

And it was a little too late for her to suddenly become bashful, considering the night they’d shared and all the things they’d said and done to each other. Several times.

She rolled her eyes but didn’t look away. “You gonna lay there all smug, or do you plan on getting dressed for work?”

“Give me five seconds and a reason,” he said, sitting up and reaching for his jeans.

“If I didn’t need to get to work, I’d give you a reason,” she called from the bathroom, her voice muffled by the sound of running water.

Her words immediately stoked the fire simmering in his veins. Damn, she was under his skin but good.

Deciding that could be a good thing, he headed to the other bathroom to get ready, returning a few minutes later to tug his jeans on and shove his feet into his socks and boots.

A moment later, she emerged from her ensuite, with her hair damp from the quick rinse, curling slightly at the ends.

She was dressed in a soft lavender T-shirt and a pair of figure-hugging jeans that looked like they had been worn and washed a hundred times. The best kind.

Need fisted his groin. The response was unexpected and swift, not to mention dangerous.

“You look…” He paused, working to regain control, then added, “Comfortable.”

Her lips curved. “You almost said beautiful, didn’t you?”

He almost said a hell of a lot more than either of them was ready to hear.

“Almost,” he replied, shrugging into his shirt.

She stepped closer to smooth a wrinkle near his collar before grazing his jaw with her lips. “You’re getting better at that.”

“At what?”

“Letting your guard down.” She smiled. “Romantic Vaughn makes rare appearances, but he’s growing on me.”

Bennett leaned in, brushing her hair off her shoulder. “Don’t get used to him. He’s a rookie. Doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing.”

“Perfect, because I don’t either.” She winked. “And he better not disappear, because I already am used to him,” she said brightly, patting his chest before stepping back to grab her bag and toss him his phone from the dresser.

He caught it with ease, and a slow warmth spread through his chest as she smiled at him like she already knew he’d catch anything she handed him, and damn if it didn’t feel dangerously close to happiness.

He followed her into the living room, and when she sat on the couch to slip into her shoes, Bennett’s phone buzzed in his hand. He glanced at the screen to find a text from Mac.

Diner. Breakfast and a quick update from Gabe. Bring your appetite and your attitude.

Bennett huffed a quiet laugh and tapped a quick reply before sliding the phone into his back pocket.

“Everything okay?” Laurel asked, tugging her hair into a quick ponytail.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Looks like I’m heading your way. That was Mac. He wants me to meet the guys at the diner. Gabe’s got an update.”

“Ah. The siren call of greasy bacon and criminal investigations,” she said, unlocking the door.

He moved in front of her to open it and make sure it was clear. “You forgot sarcastic commentary.”

“That’s where I come in,” she replied with a smirk, stepping out into the hallway, the familiar buzz of construction tools echoing from the unfinished units.

Back to reality.

But as Laurel’s fingers brushed his on their way to the stairs, Bennett knew one thing for sure—he wasn’t walking back into that reality alone.

By the time Bennett pushed open the door to Annie’s Diner, after having walked Laurel to the back door, the first round of the breakfast crowd had thinned, leaving behind the comforting hum of clinking dishes and low conversation.

The air smelled like bacon, fresh-brewed coffee, and fried potatoes, all the essentials of a Texas morning.

Annie came out of the kitchen and approached, her gaze twinkling under a raised brow.

“Don’t think I don’t know you were the one responsible for my niece showing up late for work this morning,” the woman said, standing close so only he could hear.

“Just don’t make it a habit, or I’ll throw an apron on you too. ”

He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

She returned the smile and tipped her head toward his buddies. “Go on, get. I already put in their orders. Yours too. Better hurry, though. If you’re lucky, they left you some coffee. If not, Laurel will be by with a pot soon. Those boys can guzzle.”

She had no idea.

With a nod, Bennett made his way to the usual table in the back.

Carter and Tyler were seated across from each other, mid-argument over the merits of sourdough versus buttermilk pancakes.

Mac was scrolling through his phone. Matthew was nursing a mug of black coffee like it had personally insulted him.

Gabe sat off to the side, phone pressed to his ear, his brow furrowed.

Bennett slid into the empty seat between Mac and Carter. “Did I miss the food or just the fight?”

“Just the argument over bread-based breakfast superiority,” Carter said.

Tyler lifted a hand. “For the record, sourdough has character.”

“It’s tangy,” Matthew muttered next to Tyler. “Like regret.”

Mac just shook his head and set his phone down to grab his coffee.

Before Bennett could weigh in, Gabe let out a stunned laugh.

“You’re serious?” he said into the phone, his brows up. “You’re already on the road?” He listened for another beat, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Roger that. Stick to the speed limit. I’ll see you in a few days. Yeah, I’ll let the others know.”

He hung up, grinning widely.

“Okay,” Carter said, squinting at the sheriff. “Since your wife is usually the only one to put that look on your face, I’ll bite. What’s up?”

Gabe rested his phone on the table, still smiling. “Brace yourselves. Josh is coming to town. For good.”

Tyler choked on his orange juice. “Wait—our brother, Josh?”

Carter leaned forward. “As in, vanished-into-the-wind Naval Intelligence Josh?”