Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths #1)

Storm breaks free of her spell then and turns to look at Officer Dan like she’s seeing him for the first time, her irises twinkling. “Oh, thank you. I don’t have much, but I’d feel safer if someone were watching over it.”

Officer Dan flushes for the third time and I have to say I’m impressed with him, his eyes locked on her face the entire time when even Gandhi would have a hard time not wandering over her barely clad frame.

“I’ll watch over the place until you get here,” Trent offers.

Officer Dan sizes Trent up, looks at me in his arms, and likely decides Trent isn’t competition. He nods. “I’d appreciate it.”

“You have somewhere to stay for the night, Angel?” Cain asks, stepping through the doorway. Nate looms behind him.

“She can stay with us,” I answer before Storm has a chance to say a word. She nods silently, her hand still cradling Mia’s head whose lids are drooping closed now.

“Okay, then. I’ve got to get back to the club to close up. I’ll put your earnings from tonight in my safe. You can pick them up tomorrow.” Cain offers with a sincere smile, adding, “Take tomorrow night off.”

“Thanks, Cain,” I hear myself say. Storm’s right. They really are nice guys. “Thanks, Nate.” I get a grunt in return. But then Nate takes three mammoth steps to close the distance between himself and Storm. Like watching a bear paw at a newborn’s head, I cringe as Nate’s hand reaches out to cover Mia’s head. He’s gentle though, giving her a soft pat. “Sweet dreams, Mia,” he rumbles. Sleepy blue eyes look up at him. I’m sure she’s two seconds away from screaming. I know I would be. But I watch her little hand lift up to squeeze his one finger, the gesture yanking on my heart strings. With that, Cain and Nate leave.

“Come on, let’s get Mia to bed,” Livie puts her hand around Storm and gently ushers her toward the door, just as Tanner steps in. “Not now, Tanner,” Livie murmurs, leading them out and next door.

He scratches his head in that ‘Tanner way’ but nods, stepping aside. I bury my mouth in Trent’s chest again, this time to keep from laughing. I never noticed coming in, so zoned in to getting to Livie and Mia, but Tanner’s wearing Batman pajamas.

Tanner runs his hand up and down the doorway and I know what he’s thinking. “This wasn’t Storm’s fault, Tanner,” I start to say, afraid he’s going to throw down his one coveted rule. This would definitely be classified as disturbing thy peace. But he waves my words away, mumbling, “never seen people with such bad door luck.”

Trent peels himself away from me and steps forward, pulling out his wallet and another wad of cash. “This should cover it. Can you get your guy in first thing in the morning?”

“You don’t have to do that, Trent,” I say as Tanner’s meaty paw wraps around the money.

He comes back to grab hold of me again, shaking his head dismissively. “We’ll sort it out tomorrow.”

Tanner lifts his hand to wave the money in thanks and moves for the doorway.

Officer Dan stops him. “Sir, I suggest you speak to the building owner about replacing those entrance gates immediately and with a better system, given how easily these can be forced open, as demonstrated tonight.”

Tanner appraises the cop with shrewd eyes. “I agree, Officer, but the owner of this building is a scrooge whose purse strings are tighter than a—” he glances at me and ducks his head. “He’s cheap, that’s all.”

“Would it help if he received a formal order from the Miami Police Department and the City of Miami indicating he’s liable for a multi-million dollar lawsuit if he doesn’t provide adequate security for his residents?”

Tanner’s brow arches in surprise. “You can do that? I mean …” He clears his throat and that wry smile stretches over his face. “I do believe that would influence him, Officer.”

Dan nods curtly, a thinly concealed smile touching his lips. “Great. I’ll come up with something and have it to you first thing tomorrow.” Turning to Trent, he says, “I can cut out from my shift early. Can you make it until four?”

“I’ll be here.”

With that, Dan exits, stooping slightly to pass through the doorway. Tanner and his Batman pajamas follow closely, leaving Trent and I alone.

I peer up at Trent’s looming form to admire that gorgeous face. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in months,” I murmur, lifting to my tip toes to lay a gentle kiss on the uninjured side of his mouth.

His hand lifts to brush my cheek as he smiles down at me. “You’ve got to be tired. Why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll stay and watch over things.”

I fight to hide the disappointment from my face. Being near him feels so good, so right, so comforting. Adrenaline and attraction rush through my limbs. The last thing I am right now is tired. But I also don’t want to appear needy. I give him my best suspicious once-over. “And who’s going to watch over you to make sure you don’t steal anything?”

“Me? The guy who keeps buying strange girls front doors?”

“Strange girls!” I gasp, my hands flying to cross my chest in mock horror. “I take offense to that. Besides, how do I know you’re not some batshit crazy stiletto-wearing kleptomaniac who’ll steal Storm’s underwear and drink all the mustard?”

He rolls his eyes. “It was ketchup and that was only once. It did nothing for me, I swear it.” I giggle as Trent’s arms lift to settle on my shoulders. He looks down the length of my body before settling on my face. “I do have an appreciation for women’s underwear. Just, not on me.”

I struggle to swallow as my heart leaps into my throat, the blood pulsing against my ear drum as this electric pulse channels between us, rousing every nerve in my body. But then he breaks off, taking three large steps back and exhaling deeply. I smile to myself. At least I’ m not the only one who feels it.

“We should do something about this door. The police tape doesn’t exactly keep prying eyes out.”

Another wave of heat roils through me. What would prying eyes see? Trent rifles through the closets until he pulls out an old blanket. “I hope she doesn’t mind.”

I help Trent secure the blanket against the opening with an array of tape, tacks, and other adhesive things I find in the kitchen drawers. It’s after one o’clock in the morning when we finally finish and my adrenaline rush is crashing, leaving me exhausted. I flop down on the sectional. “I haven’t been off my feet for more than ten minutes tonight.” Trent takes a seat at the end of the couch. Gently lifting my feet, he slides first one heel off and then another.

“Oh.” I moan. “You can stay.” He grins, but says nothing as his skilled hands rub the bottom of my feet in smooth, circular motions. Around and around, slowly, deftly. I groan and lie my head back, enjoying his strength, his undivided attention. “Okay, you’ve earned at least one underwear strut. Go,” I fling my arm lazily toward Storm’s room. “Pick your weapon. Storm has quite the collection.”

Trent chuckles. “Depends on who’s strutting.”

I open one eye to find heat in his light blue eyes as they gaze at me. Again, I see this mercurial switch from the cautious, responsible Trent to the one who seems willing to have me on my back, and I don’t know what to think of it except that I know I want the latter version right now. His hand begins moving a little faster, a little more ardently, his breathing heavier. And then his hands are sliding to my calves and with a grip, pulling me toward him. As I slide, my dress slips higher up, revealing more leg. Luckily it stops at the height of my thighs, just as my butt reaches the side of his thigh. My bare legs are now stretched over his lap. One of his hands rests on the inside of my thigh, shooting lightning bolts through my entire body. The index finger on his other hand traces along my right outer thigh—up, up, further …

It stops on my tattoo, on the edge of my scar and strokes back and forth along the ridge. “Did you get the tat to cover this scar?”

“If I did that, my entire right side would be one big tattoo,” I lie.

“Why five ravens?” He asks as his fingers trail along the tails.

“Why not?” I pray he’ll leave it at that.