Page 63 of His White Moonlight (Dominant CEO Shifter Romance #1)

My attention was still on the bag when we reached the parking garage, so I didn’t notice the familiar car idling near the elevator or Milo until he waved.

“What’s Milo doing here?” I asked as Bennett steered us toward the car.

“Giving you a ride home. I promised Konni I’d help him after work.” He opened the passenger door for me.

“Wait… Do I get a say in where I go after work?”

“Yes.”

“Then I don’t want to go home. I want to know what you and Konni do together.”

He grimaced. “Not this time. You still need to make an offer.”

I made a face. “But I really don’t want to spend a night alone with nothing to do.” I held up my arm. “I can’t even go running yet.”

Bennett tipped my chin to look up at him.

“Not just because of the arm, though, right? That smart mind of yours knows there are still people who would like to add to your injuries if you were to run without me, right?”

“Without you or with someone else who can protect me,” I corrected. “What if I spent the night at Miranda’s?”

“You just gave her earrings, a bag, and expensive clothes. She’s not going to want to stay home.”

“Perfect. Neither do I.”

Bennett sighed and set his forehead against mine.

“Independence is important to you. I get that. But is exercising it worth your health? Your life?” He kissed my forehead and stepped back. “Milo will take you wherever you want to go.”

“Thank you.” I got into the car and waved as Milo pulled away.

“You have no idea how hard that was for him,” Milo said.

“I have a pretty good idea. He was shaking again. I hope Konni’s ready for a moody Bennett.”

“Probably. Where to?”

“There’s an ice cream place I’ve been wanting to try. Are you interested in being my wingman for that adventure?”

Milo wasn’t just along for the ride. He was actually fun and didn’t get ruffled by anything.

He laughed at my jokes and was so sweet about tasting ice creams with me to bring his mate back something she’d like.

Like everyone else in my life, he wouldn’t hear of me carrying the two pints I’d selected to bring home.

But we did have a lively debate about the merits of the classic butter pecan, his pick, and outrageous chocolate overload, my pick.

By the time we got home, Sandy had walking tacos waiting for us. They both joined me, and it was one of the best meals I’d had since coming home. No tension. A lot of laughter. Just normal.

Stuffed and content, I went upstairs with only a little bit of guilt poking at me because I’d felt so happy without my family.

It didn’t take me long to change to the T-shirt I’d stolen from Bennett the night before and settle into my bed with my laptop.

However, it took me forever to hunt-and-peck my way through an email to my professor regarding my assignment.

I didn’t mind the tediousness of the task, though. At least it was something to do.

Once I finished, I sent Sophia a text asking if she wanted to meet for lunch soon.

Sophia: Sure. My week is open. Lunch and after dinner. The club invite is standing.

Me: Lunch on Wednesday? And possibly club next Friday.

Sophia: Really? Does that mean things are better with your family?

Me: They’re getting better. Fingers crossed it stays better.

Sophia: Same. See you at noon on Wednesday. I’ll text the location.

* * *

I woke up with a stretch that pulled at my stitches and made me wince. The sound of my shower running registered a second later.

Reaching out, I touched the spot next to me.

It was cold. Had Bennett not come home, or had he come home late and just gone to get ready for work right away?

But if it was the latter, why did he use my bathroom when he had his own?

It didn’t make sense. But who else would be in my bathroom except him?

My thoughts spiraled to all the shit Lindi and her crew had pulled over the years.

Unsure what to think, I slipped out of bed and crept toward the bathroom, wishing I had a baseball bat or something. The water didn’t shut off at my approach or when I carefully turned the doorknob.

Thankfully, the glass shower partition didn’t leave the identity of my bathroom guest a mystery. It didn’t leave anything a mystery when Bennett turned to look at me.

I spun around toward the door and made it one step before a wet body suctioned to my back.

“You have three seconds to prevent a meltdown that will ensure I don’t talk to you the whole day.”

“I smell like him,” Bennett said roughly.

That sure stopped any freakout I’d been about to have.

“Konni?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he touch you in your no-no square?”

“My what?”

“The place I was thinking about kicking a few seconds ago?”

Bennett snorted a laugh and dipped his head to kiss the side of my neck.

“I missed you. Your scent…the way you can distract me with just one word…the feel of you in my arms.”

His hand moved over my good arm, which was pinned in front of me, to intertwine our fingers.

“Okay. Well, I’m here. No need to keep missing me.” I meant it as more of a let go now, but he made a pained sound and kissed the side of my neck in a way that clearly showed me how he’d interpreted what I’d said.

“Are you going to let go and finish your shower, or am I going to need to start screaming?”

“Shower. I’ll help you scream later.”

I frowned. He released me, and the water started splashing behind me a second later. I fled before he thought I was interested in his offer.

With the back of my shirt wet, I hurried down the stairs and entered the kitchen to see Sandy making breakfast.

“Good morning,” she said. “Bennett suggested French toast. Does that work for you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

She glanced at me but did a double-take.

“Are you all right?”

“Bennett was in my shower.”

“Ah. Why don’t you sit, and I’ll tell you about the time Milo broke my favorite vase…on purpose?”

My ass was on the island chair, and I was avidly distracted for the next ten minutes as she entertained me with a love-struck mate’s woes. Hands settled on my shoulders, cutting off my laughter. Twisting, I looked back at Bennett.

His gaze dipped to my mouth, but he didn’t try stealing a kiss.

“Your turn to get ready,” he said. “Miranda already texted you.”

I nodded and hurried from the kitchen before he tried anything.

It wasn’t until I reached the bedroom that I realized two things.

I’d left my phone behind when I’d run earlier, and I never looked in the bag from yesterday, which was currently on my bed, along with my phone and an outfit I didn’t recognize.

My gaze shifted to the closet. I still hadn’t looked.

Drawn forward, I opened the door and blinked at the empty space.

The built-in closet was gone. A few holes from where things had been anchored were already patched.

The wood floor was deeply furrowed in front of the door.

Opening it wider, I stepped inside and partially closed the door to look at the back of it.

The damage was primarily focused around the knob, with furrows trailing down away from it.

“I wouldn’t have hurt you. I know what it looks like, but I wouldn’t ever hurt you,” Bennett said from my room.

Opening the door, I looked out at him. He looked guilty and upset.

“Your clothes are in my closet until yours is fixed. It shouldn’t take too long. If you want to wear something else, you can take whatever you want, or I can pick something for you.”

“What’s there is fine,” I said, stepping out of the closet.

He watched me grab my clothes from the bed and look in the bag. It was filled with underwear. Lacy, skimpy, sexy underwear.

“I asked Sandy to wash what Mom bought you yesterday,” Bennett said, his voice once again rough.

Tearing my gaze from what was in the bag, I looked at him.

“Where's my other underwear?”

His face grew red.

“I wasn’t thinking straight,” he said.

I stared at him, letting my imagination play out. Upset and needing my scent, he’d gone for my underwear while still in his fur and accidentally ripped it all. Or…he’d trashed everything in my closet because he’d been mad. Or…he knew he was letting me go and hoarding his scent collection.

“Yeah, no matter what answer you give me, I think I’m going to be upset about it. So let’s pretend I didn’t go in there and that my mom isn’t so clueless about me that she bought thongs.”

Reaching into the bag, I sorted through my options and withdrew the most modest pair. Then, I closed myself in the bathroom.

Showering while keeping my arm out of the water wasn’t too hard since I wasn’t washing my hair. Drying off was a little harder with just one hand. I briefly tried using my other hand but learned quickly that wasn’t a good idea.

By the time I tugged myself into my clothes, my arm was throbbing again.

“I hope you’re standing out there with an ice pack for me,” I said as I opened the door.

He was.

Greedy, I took the ice pack and set it over the bandage. The relief was almost immediate.

He stepped behind me and picked up my brush to start detangling the damp ends of my hair. I let him work without looking at him. If I met his gaze, I knew I’d question what happened to my underwear.

“Are you mad?” he asked after a prolonged silence.

“You already know I’m not. You’d smell it.”

“Sometimes you’re really good at hiding what you’re feeling.”

“Well, I’m not mad. I’m honestly trying not to overthink anything like why you were in my shower instead of your own and why you smelled like Konni. It’s not my business.”

The brush paused in my hair. “Because I’m not your business?”

“Because I have enough on my plate,” I said diplomatically. “Stitches. Bitches. Staying out of ditches. I’m not sure how much more my plate will carry without tipping over. So what you do with Konni can’t be my business.”

I met his gaze in the mirror, catching his hurt look.

“Why you were in my shower is borderline my business as long as it doesn’t add to my plate.”

“It smells like you.”

“If you wanted to smell me, why didn't you get into bed with me?”