Chapter 273
[ 484 words ]
Chapter 273:
They drove through the quiet, neon-lit streets of Washington, D.C. The city was finally asleep, leaving them in their own private bubble.
Jarrod pulled up to a classic, 24-hour American diner on the outskirts of the city. Its red neon sign buzzed faintly in the cool night air.
They walked inside. The diner was mostly empty. It smelled wonderfully of roasted coffee and frying bacon.
Jarrod guided her to a secluded, red vinyl booth in the back corner.
A tired waitress handed them laminated menus. She gave Jarrod’s imposing, tactical-clad figure a wary look before quickly retreating to the counter.
Jarrod ordered a massive plate of steak and eggs for himself. For Caroline, he ordered a comforting stack of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and hot cocoa.
When the food arrived, Caroline attacked the pancakes with surprising ferocity. Her hunger completely took over her usual polite manners.
Jarrod watched her eat. He rested his chin on his left hand. A soft, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips as he enjoyed the simple, grounding domesticity of the moment.
𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘗𝘋𝘍𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮
As her stomach filled, the massive adrenaline crash hit Caroline hard.
She leaned against his solid chest, her heavy eyelids fluttering shut uncontrollably. She didn’t completely fall asleep, however. The instincts honed by years of rigorous training wouldn’t allow her to fully power down in a public space. Instead, she slipped into a state of semi-alert rest, her body allowing her muscles to relax while a deep, hidden string in her mind remained taut.
It was the first time she had ever allowed herself to get this close to complete rest while beside him, feeling completely safe in his arms.
Jarrod sat there in silence. His left hand gently stroked her hair. He fiercely guarded her rest while he finished his cold coffee.
He looked down at her sleeping face. He realized with absolute certainty that he would burn the entire world down before letting anyone hurt her again.
The next morning, the bright fluorescent lights of the hospital breakroom were a harsh contrast to the cozy diner from the night before.
Caroline stood by the coffee machine. She tried to hide the dark circles under her eyes with extra concealer. Her muscles ached with a lingering soreness from the alley fight.
Brenna burst into the breakroom. Her face was flushed with excitement. She practically vibrated with nervous energy as she grabbed Caroline’s arm.
Brenna dragged Caroline to a quiet corner.
“Oh my god, Caroline! Julian texted me over thirty times last night trying to explain why he was acting so clumsy!” Brenna whispered frantically. “And then he was waiting downstairs at five in the morning with coffee, practically begging me for a chance to explain everything properly. We’re getting drinks after my shift!”
Caroline let out a genuine sigh of relief. She smiled warmly.
“I am so happy for you, Brenna,” Caroline said. “And I’m sorry for accidentally being caught in the middle of his confusing signals.”
Brenna waved it off, laughing.
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