For You I'd Mend

The moment Theo stepped into the room, I knew something terrible had happened. Apparently, so did everyone else. All chatter ceased. Theo’s eyes darted around until they found mine. I rose from my stool and walked to him while everyone stared. So much for keeping my distance. He might as well have snagged a hook in my fishnets and reeled me in.

When I reached him, he gripped my hand and led me into the hall. His fingers felt clammy in mine, and his chest rose and fell in short bursts. As soon as the door closed behind us, he pulled me into a tight hug. His full lips and short beard brushed my neck as he nestled his face against me. My core clinched like it always did on the few occasions he’d touched me, but even as my body reacted to the nearness of his, I knew this was a plea for comfort. He cuddled Skye when he felt panicked. I made a mental note to consider later how I felt about being interchangeable with Cal’s dog.

“Breathe with me,” I said, rubbing my hands up and down his back. His heart hammered against my ear as he exhaled in frantic bursts, which despite the circumstance, felt so good on my neck my breathing became rapid. I kept rubbing his back and forced my breaths to slow. After a few moments, his breathing steadied as well.

He’d never held me this long. At best, I could count on a brief hug, a teasing sample of his strong arms and stomach-fluttering pheromones. He surrounded me now like the sepal of an unopened flower. Even though I was comforting him, I’d never felt so protected. I wanted to stay locked in his embrace forever, but I knew it’d only last until he felt calm.

“I’m good now,” he said. He dropped his arms, cleared his throat, and straightened to his full height, an entire foot above my measly five foot, two inches, taking my arms with him. I pulled them back and tilted up my head.

“What’s going on?” I asked.