Page 75 of Brandt's Rule

Tempest’s eyes fluttered and she peeked at him before closing them again.

“Do I need to know anything, do anything?” he asked.

“I just need to sleep,” she answered.

“So, just let you sleep.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Okay, let me get your clothes off,” he said.

She opened one eye and looked at him.

“I already promised there’d be none of that! But you won’t be comfortable dressed. I’ll get you one of my teeshirts, and you can sleep in that.”

“Okay.”

Brandt gave her a teeshirt, then helped her get her boots off, unbuckled her jeans and pulled them down over her hips.

He stood there, looking down at his mate, this beautiful, unusual female, lying in his bed with her pants halfway down her legs, and her eyes closed, trusting him to do the right thing. “Dear, God, keep me strong,” he mumbled.

“I can just go home,” she said.

“No!” he insisted, grabbing the bottom of her jeans and pulling them the rest of the way off.

She managed to wriggle out of her bra and her shirt, while he quickly slipped his shirt over her head.

“Better?” he asked.

“So much,” she said, curling onto her side and snuggling into his pillow. “Might sleep for a while. Don’t worry.”

“I won’t leave your side,” he said.

“You can leave my side.”

“Not happening.”

“Please leave my side to go to the bathroom,” she said.

Brandt laughed at her attempt at a joke. “Okay, maybe then.”

She stilled and got quiet as her breathing evened out. She was quiet for a little while while he was busy getting changed, then he heard her voice. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Taking care of me.”

“I’ll always take care of you,” he promised.

He usually slept naked, but tonight, it would be a pair of shorts only. Once he had them on, he went and made sure the rest of the house was locked up tight like he liked it, and the lights were on on his porch, then he flipped on a light in the bathroom and pulled the door just almost closed with a sliver of light shining through it so if Tempest woke she could find it easily, then got in bed behind her. Brandt turned toward her and she seemed to know he was there, backing herself against him.

He leaned over her from behind to kiss her temple, spooned his body around hers, his arm draped across her, and was asleep almost immediately.

There was no trace of the insomnia he’d struggled with for the last few weeks.

~~~

Tempest rolled over and snuggled into the warmth that had been at her back. Her brain was still foggy from the previous night, not thinking clearly at all. She made a soft humming noise as her body reacted to the warmth surrounding her. She snuggled closer, pressing her face against the wide, strong chest that eagerly welcomed her.