“I’m supposed to be here comforting you.”

She laughed softly. “I like to take care of you. It makes me happy. This is you comforting me.”

His breathing slowed, deepened as she worked. This man had done so much for her, had taken care of her, had shown with body and mind that she was beautiful and capable. No one had ever made her feel the way he had. It scared her to her toes to imagine him not in her life.

“Damn that feels good. Are you a licensed masseuse too? Since you’re a jack of all trades and all.” His voice was muffled by the pillow.

“Jack of all trades, master of none.” She laughed. “You’d better be good at massages so you can trade them with people when you dance. Man, you’re so tight right here.” She worked into the knot at his right shoulder.

“Between working all day and then dealing with the cleanup from the burst pipes, I guess I’m a mess. Good thing I have you to take care of me.”

Yes, good thing. She bet that selfish bitch Raven didn’t do this for him. Didn’t make him something to eat when he got hungry, didn’t worry about how tired he was. Okay, so maybe she was unfair; Raven did seem to care about him, and Erin too, but it annoyed Elise to see the woman around all the time. She was totally hostile and she touched Brody way more than Elise would have preferred. Which would be zero touches, damn it.

“I’m here for that. Anytime.”

The stress went out of him slowly as he relaxed heavier into her bed.

“It feels so good to be with you here. To be taken care of.”

She scooted down to get to his lower back, ass and upper thighs. “You always do it for everyone else. Someone needs to take care of you for a change. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you go around making life better for everyone else. You’re a good man.” And I love you.

“Mmm, god that’s nice. And I’m just doing what needs to be done. If I don’t, who will? Who’ll do it right so the people I care about are okay? I can, I trust that.”

Holy cats, was she gone for this man.

“Turn over.”

He did, a lazy smile on his lips. “This is the best part.”

She smiled back. “Are you suggesting sex? Mr. Brown, I’m really sure I’m not supposed to do that.” She fluttered her lashes and he slid his hands up her thighs. “Don’t you get tired of being laden down with other people’s stuff?”

He locked his gaze with hers. “Some people. But other people?” He shrugged slightly. “Other people I like taking care of. I like knowing I’m the one making them safe or healthy or whatever. I guess it’s a god complex, but there it is.” He took her br**sts in his hands. “Taking care of you and Rennie is in the latter group. Yes, I can see the worry on your face, hear it in your voice. You two are mine, I take care of what’s mine.”

“You don’t feel suffocated by yet more people on your to-do list?”

“Did someone say something to upset you, Shorty? Have I hurt your feelings or made you feel bad?”

She shook her head. “No, not that. I just . . . I know when we started this thing we said it would be light and fun, and I’m realizing it’s not so light and fun for you when I have legal crap and stuff. I just don’t want to step on your toes or . . .”

She couldn’t help but squeal when he rolled her over so suddenly. “Shorty, when we started this thing, we didn’t know each other the way we do now. I like having you in my life. I like your kiddo in my life. I like taking care of you. I like knowing you’re safe. I hate this legal shit because I know you’re scared and I hate those people for trying to scare you and using Rennie to do it. It makes me crazy that I can’t fix it for you both. Seeing you so worried hurts. I want you to be happy.”

She would not cry. It was just hormones and emotion.

“Please touch me,” she whispered around tears.

“Baby, please don’t cry.” He brushed his lips over her cheeks. “I’m here and all I ever want is to touch you.”

“Then do. Please. I just want to feel you.”

“If I have to,” he joked before meeting her lips for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as his soft kisses grew deeper.

She arched, writhing to get more of her on more of him. His skin was taut and very warm, slightly slick from the almond oil she’d used. The friction was delicious.

“Just for the record,” he said before licking one nipple and then the other, “I always want to feel you. To taste you. Elise, I want to breathe you.” He hovered over the dip of her belly, his breath hot against the super-sensitive skin there. His tongue slid over her hip bone and down the seam between thigh and body.

How could she not love him? There must be three dozen women walking around Seattle totally heartbroken that this man wasn’t with them anymore. Maybe that was Raven’s problem. Hmpf. Too bad, goth girl. You snooze, you lose.

His tongue against her clit brought her hips forward, unabashedly seeking more. It had been a week since he’d gone down on her. They’d had sex, but it had been quick and hard, which she’d needed. This was slow and decadent, and it felt so good she just soaked it in. He held her thighs open and flat against the mattress as he licked and nibbled, laved and flicked his tongue over her pu**y.

She arched, stretching her muscles as the pleasure took over. His mouth on her was sure, and with good reason. He knew what worked, what she liked, what drove her to shiver and beg—and he did it. Over and over until she became a trembling mass of desperate woman.