Unleashing Chaos

Chapter Twenty-Four

Feeling lighter only lasted for two days; it wasn't long before the stress of my deadline began creeping back into the corners of my mind. Cannon had been away for work since my talk with Jace, so we hadn't gotten to hang out at all, and I had to admit I missed his company. Jace had been busy with Matt and the Edmonds proposal, and even Meredith had been preoccupied with jewelry orders for her Etsy shop.

Not to mention that I can't shake the feeling that I need to tell Cannon what I really am and what being with me would actually entail sooner rather than later. And that scares me more than anything. If he runs away screaming, I don't know what the hell I'll do. Probably just go back to Infernis with my proverbial tail between my legs.

And I'm sore from my pitiful workout. What a loser.

I'm laying on the couch watching a rerun of a sitcom on cable when I hear the front door open and close. When I hear shoes kicked haphazardly into the floor, I grin because I know exactly who it is.

But I play it cool when he comes around the corner and drops his duffel bag in front of the kitchen counter.

"Hey, Cannon," I say, sitting up and looking at him from over the back of the couch, pushing my curls over my shoulder. "Did you have a good trip?"

"It was business, but I think I've finally got everything figured out. I won't have to take off for a while now." He eyes the way I'm hunched over, too afraid to straighten my aching muscles. "What's wrong with you? You are sitting like the old lady who was next to me on the bus. And I'm pretty sure she was like a hundred-and two-years old."

My face flushes and I lift one shoulder in a shrug. "I worked out the day before yesterday, so I'm a little sore from that."

He raises an eyebrow and sits next to me, pushing a strand of hair out of my face. "What did you do, a bunch of dead weights or pull ups?"

I twist my lips and shake my head. "No, I just got on the treadmill."

"Ah, ran a couple miles?"

A snort escapes the back of my throat. "Hardly. I just walked for a bit."

"Yeah, but if you had it on a steep incline, only walking for a bit can get really tiring."

"Incline...zero. I'm just really out of shape, my dude," I say with a sheepish grin.

He laughs at that, and when I give him the stink-eye, he sobers. "I've heard I give one mean massage. I'd be happy to offer my services for free."

I cock my head to the side and look him up and down. "Hm. That actually sounds really nice. And I have missed you. Did you miss me while you were gone, or were you too busy entertaining your female coworkers at the 'after-hours' meetings?" I tease.

"The last thing I was thinking about was my coworkers. My thoughts didn't stray far from this place." He stands and holds out his hand to me. "Come with me to my room, and I'll take care of you."

I lace my fingers with his and he grabs his bag before leading me to his room just down from mine. When he opens the door, I'm hit with the relaxing scent of lavender. He must have tidied his room before he left, and his bed is made nicely, the slate blue and white bedding neat and wrinkle-free. Several ivory candles are placed in various places, his dresser, nightstand and the windowsill. He turns on the essential oil diffuser next to his bed and chooses soothing music on his phone.

"I suggest taking off your shirt and at least, unhooking your bra. After that, make yourself comfortable on the bed," he says, opening his closet door.

My palm slaps against my mouth when I get a glimpse inside the small walk-in closet. It looks as if a tropical storm blew through it and knocked all his clothes off the hangers. Bags and boxes are scattered in the mix. His closet is my worst organization nightmare come to life.