Page 62 of Captivating Anika
“By the way, thanks for making sure things would be taken care of at the salon. Monique messaged me to let me know the cops left and she was just closing up.”
“Good. Evans was gonna make sure they could lock the apartment too.”
I’m not sure whether I’m going to lose any brownie points I just won, but it has to be said.
“Hey, Sweetheart? Have you thought about calling your parents? I can easily imagine the news cop cars were all over their daughter’s salon is gonna reach them sooner or later.”
She stares at me for a moment before dropping her chin to her chest, cursing softly. Then she grabs her phone off the counter and calls her mother, and I pull the ingredients for dinner out of the fridge.
I’m on the deck firing up the grill when she comes outside and walks right up to me, looping her arms around my neck.
“You’re like my own personal Superman. Rescuing me again.”
She kisses me hard and I grin against her lips.
I’ve been called worse.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Hog
I startle awake when something hits me in the face and I shoot upright in bed.
It takes me a second to realize Anika is whimpering and rolling her head on the pillow. Reaching over, I flick on the light on the nightstand before turning to her. She has her back to me.
“Hey…wake up, Sweetheart.”
My voice alone doesn’t seem to do the trick, so I put a light hand on her shoulder. The moment I touch her, she swings her arm around and rolls over, leading with her fist.
“Fuck!”
She clocks me right in the eye, it stings. I try to gain control of her flailing limbs without hurting her, and end up straddling her hips, pinning her arms to the mattress. Not exactly the gentle waking I intended, but I’m afraid she may end up hurting herself.
“Get off!”
“Hey, Sweetheart, it’s me. Open your eyes.”
They snap wide open, fear evident in their depth. Until she focuses on my face and I can feel the fight drain from her. Immediately I roll off and take her with me, so she’s on top of me. I can feel her heart hammering.
“Holy shit,” she whispers on an exhale.
“Must’ve been a doozy,” I mumble, running a hand up and down her back.
She props her chin up on my chest and looks at me.
“Sorry if I woke you.”
“No need to apologize.”
I stroke my hand down to the curve of her ass. I love there’s enough substance to Anika for me to grab on to. She’s not tall, but not so petite and dainty I have to worry I’ll hurt her with my large frame and shovel-sized hands. She fits me perfectly.
“Noah? Can I ask you something?”
Can’t get enough of her calling me by my given name. Funny, because for most of my adult life, I preferred Hog. My parents were the only ones who called me Noah.
“You can ask me anything.”
“How come you never married? I mean, I’m happy, obviously, but you’re the complete package. I don’t get why some lucky woman didn’t snatch you up already.”