Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Bennett
Ipull through the gates of High Tides, with two more in the car than when I pulled out a few hours earlier.
Peyton and her cat, D’Artagnan — who calls a cat D’Artagnan, for fucks sake?
— are huddled together in the front seat.
I don’t think she’s quite registered where we are yet.
She’s in shock, and I can’t say I blame her.
I think I am too. When I heard her screaming and then banging coming through the phone, I didn’t think I was going to get to her in time.
I might have known her days, but I already wouldn’t be able to handle anything happening to her.
“What on earth?” she mutters as I pull up outside the house. I’ll give Peyton credit; it’s a fucking stunning place, and even if it hadn’t been her favorite, I think I probably would have put an offer in. “How are we here?” she asks, her body turning to face me in the small space.
“I bought it yesterday. It’s not technically mine for about another week, but — well, money talks.” I shrug.
“So they just gave you the keys?”
“Yeah, I can’t start any building work until everything is signed, but it’s mine.” Ours.
“Wow,” she mumbles under her breath.
“Come on, let’s get you inside your new home,” her gaze darts to me.
“For now,” she states. I smile at her; she can think she’s moving back to hers all she wants. It’s never fucking happening though.
I open her car door and scoop her and the fluff ball into my arms carrying them into the house.
“Bennett,” she cries “put me down. You can’t keep carrying me everywhere. You’ll hurt your back.” I can’t help the belly laugh that leaves me. Is she serious right now? I lift heavier weights in the gym than her.
“Peyton, you’re half my height, sweetheart. You’re the size of a pixie,” her little body shifts as she huffs at my words. “Plus, I like carrying you around. I love feeling you in my arms, your body pressed against mine is one of the best feelings.”
“Oh,” she mumbles.
“Yeah, oh,” I chuckle, “so let me hold you as often as I want.” I place a gentle kiss to the top of her head as I walk us up the stairs.
I push open the door to one of the guest rooms. “We can sleep in here tonight, it’s not the master, but I had a little accident in there earlier. I may have knocked something over in my rush to get to you. I’ll have a cleaner come in the morning, and we can be back in there tomorrow night.”
“Oh, okay,” she says as she gazes around the bedroom. “Wait, we?”
“Yes, we,” I state. “You think you’re going to stay in my house and not sleep in my bed?”
“I thought I might get a choice in the matter,” she grumbles.
“Well, you don’t,” I grunt as I place her on the bed. “Let me go get your bags from the car and then we can crash. Get into bed, sweetheart, I won’t be long.”
When I return, she’s tucked under the cover with the cat pressed to her side.
I place her bags by the chair next to the window and make my way to the bed, pulling off my clothes as I go.
I climb into bed with her in just my boxers.
I normally sleep naked but tonight isn’t sexual, we both need the comfort of holding each other.
I reach for her and pull her into my arms, tucking her against my chest, my arms easily wrapping around her.
The cat grumbles and gets up, walking up the bed to the pillows, he places himself right by our heads, curling up straight away and looking, for all intents and purposes, like he’s already asleep.
“Well, that’ll take some getting used to,” my voice rumbles in the quiet of the room.
“He’s a good boy, you won’t even notice him,” she mumbles sleepily.
“Get some sleep, Peyton. I’ve set my alarm for your work.” I place a gentle kiss to her forehead.
“If you’d let me bring my car, you wouldn’t have to get up.”
“Not happening. You’re not leaving my sight. Now, be quiet and go to sleep.”
“Yes, Sir.” She’s joking but my cock perks up at her choice of words. Interesting. We’ll be trying that again. In bed. Naked.
As I drift off to sleep, I can’t help but think that although I hate that tonight happened, I’m certainly not disappointed with the outcome. Peyton in my house, in my arms is exactly where she belongs, and I intend to keep her there.
Peyton
“Noo,” I groan as the alarm brings me out of the sleep I feel I had only just fallen into. A chuckle comes from beside me and I’m pulled back against a solid chest.
“You only have yourself to blame,” he says into my neck. “I told you to call in sick, they would have completely understood. In fact, I think they would have encouraged it.”
“I can’t let them down,” I moan as Bennett’s cock pushes into the small of my back.
“Well, when you’re plugging wounds, or fixing broken bones, or whatever other miracle it is you’re working in the ER. Just remember, you could have been at home, in bed, riding my cock.” That is definitely not helping motivate me to get out of bed, but that was totally his intention.
“You don’t play fair,” I grumble as I pull myself out of bed.
“Never claimed to, sweetheart.” I shake my head at him as I make my way into the adjoined bath to get ready.
Half an hour later, I walk out freshly showered and pause in the doorway. I can’t help but smile at the sight before me. Bennett is on his back with D’Artagnan lying on his chest, making biscuits in the blanket.
“Peyton, what is he doing?” I can’t help but laugh at the slight hint of fear in his voice. He comes charging to my rescue when someone breaks into my house but is frozen at a cat lying on him.
“He likes you,” I laugh. He tentatively raises his hand and runs it down D’Artagnan’s back who raises himself into the caress, giving Bennett a little chirp as he does so. “You should feel privileged; he doesn’t like many people.”
“Lucky me,” he mutters. But I can see the smile that ticks at the corners of his mouth. “Want to get him off me, so I can get ready and make you a coffee before we have to leave?”
“Just give him a little shove, he’ll soon move.” The look he shoots me has me laughing out loud; he looks positively horrified.
“And she claims she loves you,” he whispers to my cat.
I’m still chuckling as I walk over to the two of them and scoop him into my arms. My chuckle dies a quick death as Bennett slips out of bed.
I didn’t really take him in last night, too many other things going around in my head; but I am definitely taking him in now.
Every hard, tanned, toned, muscular inch of him.
Christ. He’s absolutely ripped, and tall, ridiculously tall.
My eyes travel south and widen at the impressive bulge currently trying to break through his boxers.
Well, that’s us over before we even started.
No way will that ever fit inside me. His lips brush against my ear as his voice breaks through my thoughts.
“It’ll fit, sweetheart, and you’ll love every fucking moment of taking it.” Dead. I’m dead.
***
“Keep your fucking mouth closed, Peyton. Fuck!” Next thing I know, my head is being thrust under the tap and water is gushing over me.
“We need to get this off of you, you have blood all over you. God knows what he has.” I go to say that it’s okay, his bloods had already come back before my patient vomited blood all over me, but I’m interrupted again.
“I swear to God, Peyton, if you open your mouth, eyes, any fucking part of your body that this could get into; you’re not going to have to worry about a disease because I’ll fucking kill you myself. Now, let me do my goddamn job.”
I stay silent and let my boss, the Head of ER, do what he needs to do. Finally content that I’m not in immediate danger of ingesting my patient’s blood, he lets me up from the sink.
“It’s okay, Derek. I’m okay.” His eyes are panicked, his gaze fixed on me, taking in everything. “I already have his blood report; he doesn’t have anything. But thank you.” His body visibly relaxes, but he’s still not happy.
“Any time something like that happens, you wash it straight off! You do everything you can to ensure it doesn’t get into you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do. I’ll do better next time.”
“They won’t always be clean, Peyton. You take care of yourself first and foremost. Now, go shower and get yourself cleaned up before I see you again.”
Hours later and after what felt like the shift from hell, I finally walk out of the sliding doors and into the parking lot.
I look up from reading a message on my phone from Harry — he’s rather delighted that I’ve moved in with Bennett — to find my man leaning against his car, a welcome sight after the day I just had.
He cocks his head as I approach and opens his arms for me, I don’t even hesitate before walking straight into his embrace.
“You okay, sweetheart?” I nod against his chest.
“It’s just been a day.” He places a kiss against the top of my head.
“Well, you can tell me all about it on the drive home.” Turning, he opens the passenger door and helps me into the car. I watch him walk around the hood, this is not a small car, in fact it’s a rather large SUV, but Bennett makes it look small. The man really is a giant.
“How tall are you?” I ask as he starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot. His amused gaze meets mine.
“Six-foot-six, why?”
“And you think we’re going to work?” I choke out. “Bennett, I’m five-two for Christ’s sake.”
“We’ll work, Peyton. We’re too good together; there’s no part of us that won’t work.”
“If you say so.” Personally, I think he’s living in delulu land, but what do I know?
“I thought we could pick up pizza on the way home, that okay with you?” My stomach grumbles at his words, and he lets out a chuckle. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“At least I’ll get fed before I die,” I say deadpan.
Bennett
Hearing Peyton talk about her day at work has me tense. The dangers she faces on a daily basis had never crossed my mind, but knowing how horrific it could have been if the man had anything has me wanting to lock her in the house and never let her leave.