Page 72 of The Originals

Grain smirked and looked around the apartment.

“Grain,” she snapped, losing her patience. “What?”

He walked through the living room and stalked toward her. While she was always up for a quickie, she was already running behind on time. The last thing she needed was giving Ernie any reason to call her out.

“No.” She held up her hand, but that didn’t deter Grain. Regina stepped back until she butted against the counter. Grain grabbed either side of the counter, caging her in.

“If I’m late ’cause we fucked, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Not looking to fuck you right now.”

She furrowed her brows, “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

He lifted his chin, gesturing to the apartment. “First time you ever called our place home.”

Was it?

“It slipped.”

Grain smiled, slowly nodding. “Yeah, but it only slipped ’cause that’s how you think of this place.” He paused. “And me. We’reyourhome.”

Regina drew in a breath and clamped her lips. Usually, she would deliver a sharp-tongued retort, but she was at a loss. She didn’t have one because Grain was right. She did think of her life with him in the apartment as her home. Opening up was never easy for her. Regina was one of the most guarded people. She’d shed some of her armor in the last year with Grain, but it had taken time.

She tapped her nails on the bottom cabinets and slowly glanced up. “You’re gonna make me late.”

Grain snorted and cocked his head. “Alright. But to answer your question. No, I won’t behometonight. Jack’s got me on two back-to-back runs, and we leave from Ghosttown at five tomorrow morning. Just gonna crash in my room.” He paused, leaned closer, and smiled. “But I’ll behomeby Friday night.”

Regina squinted, knowing exactly what he was doing. Before she could say a thing, he hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her up to his chest. His mouth came down on hers for a hard kiss. It was how they did everything. She looped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss and softly moaning as she rubbed up against him. She started to contemplate how late she’d be if they had a quickie.

It was a fleeting thought when Grain abruptly ended the kiss. He smacked her ass and stepped back.

“Be home Friday night.” Grain winked and turned to the door, grabbing his keys from the hook.

“Ride safe.”

He opened the door and glanced over his shoulder, giving a curt nod. “When the fuck don’t I ride safe?”

She rolled her eyes. “You want a list? It’s gonna be long.”

His glare sharpened, but his lips twitched, and he shook his head. He turned back to the door.

“Always giving me shit, woman.” There was a slight pause as he walked out, and then she heard his parting words. Just two. The same ones he gave her any time he left for an extended amount of time.

“Love you.”

As soon as the door closed, she smiled, whispering. “I love you too.”

She still hadn’t said them to him. Those words had never come easy for her. But she felt them.

*

Can this shift get any longer?

“Do you want me to try and make that one?”

Regina stilled, then rolled her neck. Ernie’s new hire was in training and had the misfortune of shadowing Regina. She hadn’t expected such an easy task to be so painstakingly aggravating. Sure, everyone needed to learn, but Regina wasn’t the best teacher. She lacked the patience necessary to be a proper instructor. Regina could show her how to make drinks, but the constant questions were grating on her last nerve. Regina only lasted an hour into the training before she took it upon herself to make all the drinks.

“No,” Regina said.