Falling Down(123)

"There we go. I'll let you get set," he says and presses a kiss to my lips.
"Thank goodness Harley sent extra bandage thingies."
"He spoiled you like everyone else does."
"It's because I'm so adorable."
"That's exactly why."
"Thanks for cleaning that for me, babe."
He grins, still loving the endearments and I think it's amazing that simple names can make him feel a hundred feet tall. Even more amazing is the fact that he loves those nicknames coming from me.
I pull off my yoga pants and do my business, wash my face, and slowly pull Jesse's wife beater over my head. Yeah, this doesn't cover my boobs for shit but I'm guessing that was his plan. Sneaky shit.
Ugh, I'm so crabby. I can't get past the bullshit I've had to put up with for the last few months--starting with Aiden Jensen and still going with Whitney the whore. It wasn't my fault the guys thought she couldn't sing for shit and rejected her from the band. If she'd played an instrument she might have stood a chance--nah, she wouldn't have. No one liked or trusted her. She would stab you in the back first chance she got… today was proof of that.
Jesse knocks on the door.
"Mhmm," I say as I brush my teeth.
"That's what I need to do," he says nodding to my toothbrush.
I wink then rinse my mouth.
"What plan did you and Cage come up with?"
He shakes his head, his mouth full of toothpaste. He spits. "Nothing's one-hundred percent at this point. We'll talk about it tomorrow when we get to the studio."
I nod, frustration continuing to make me pissy.
Jesse rinses his mouth, then kisses my lips. "I don't like you all crabby, Luce."
I sigh. "I can't help it. Things were going well, you know? Finally it was quiet."
"You know what happens when it's quiet."
"Yeah, I know. The calm before the storm. I definitely want to bring a shit storm to Whitney."
"Don't worry. She'll get hers. Cage knows how to handle this kind of bullshit."
I just nod.
"Let's go to bed," he says reaching for my hand. He opens the door and I step through first and gasp in surprise. Candles are everywhere. Small tea lights to humongous five wick candles are burning throughout the bedroom creating a shadowed romantic ambiance.
"Jesse," I whisper.
He walks to the bed and pulls my hand so I follow. He sits, his knees spread and pulls me in between. He grabs my other hand and pulls them both to his mouth, kissing them.
"Déjà vu--sort of," I say.
He's got that sexy half-grin going on that exaggerate those amazing dimples. He tilts his head to the side in question.
"It reminds me of when you kissed my hands in Chicago," I say with a shrug, a little embarrassed to mention it. He probably doesn't even remember doing that.
He nods. "You had this look on your face, kind of surprised and dreamy at the same time. Mine was more surprise. I wasn't expecting the electricity and heat that was between us. I'd never experienced anything like it before or after--until I saw you again. I should have known it was you the minute your voice punched me in the gut."
I smile. "Good to know my voice has that affect on you."
"Luce, I don't like when you're upset. Let's forget all the shit going on out there," he says pointing to the window, "and let's just… be, at least for tonight."
"That sounds like a very, very good plan."
"Of course it does. I came up with it."
This gets him an eye roll and he chuckles. "Let's get this off of you. You should really just sleep naked since you're bandaged up for the night anyway."