Her White Wolf

Chapter Sixteen

James raised an eyebrow at her as they got to the top of the stairs. "I could show you an old picture sometime if you're interested."

"How have I not seen one of those yet?" she asked with a bright smile. "I definitely want to see them. I know you were quite the ladies man."

"I'll tell Steve to make a copy for you. We could frame them and set them somewhere if you want to," he said just as they crossed the threshold of their bedroom.

"Yes! I love that idea. It's part of who you are. I want as much of you around as I can have," Cleo said sweetly as she smoothed one of her hands through his hair.

James laughed as he sat Cleo down on the edge of the bed. "I'll text Steve in a little while then. My phone's downstairs."

"There's no one else you need to be talking to right now anyway," she teased with a wink before she leaned down to begin to take her shoes off.

"Oh really?" James questioned. "Something on your mind?"

Cleo looked up at him as she took her shoes off and shook her head. "No. I'm just saying... I just got home. It was a long day. Maybe I like that no one else can distract you right now," she said, a flirtatious smile overtaking her expression.

James grinned as he sat beside her on the bed. "I'm all yours."

She smiled with satisfaction and leaned in to kiss him softly, allowing their lips to linger together. "So... feet first? Then whatever you want?" she negotiated in a hushed tone, raising her brows with an innocent smile to be cute.

"Lay back, sweetheart," he said softly.

Cleo turned slightly to pull herself backwards a bit from the edge of the bed. She gathered a few pillows and quickly formed a supportive, comfortable pile for her back and shoulders. Resting back against it, she stretched her feet out, the balls and heels aching. "You're such a gentleman."

James waited until she got situated before he took one of her feet in his hands and began massaging it. "I don't need anything afterward. I'm content making you happy and relaxed."

Her smile softened, head tilting slightly to the side. "Thank you, baby," she replied warmly. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a long, slow breath. "Did you get done with what you wanted to do today?" she asked, blinking her eyes open to look down at him.

"I finished the shelves in the pantry like you wanted, so you can put your big cooking things in it," he answered. "I also fixed that drawer that was always getting stuck."

He was so good to her. Whatever she asked him to do around the house, he would get it done. An easy smile rested on her expression, and she nodded faintly. "Thank you for doing that," she said fondly, closing her eyes as he massaged a particularly tight area of her foot.

"Anytime," he answered quietly, now concentrating on loosening the tight muscle he could feel in her foot. "Have you thought of asking Shuri for better footwear? It might help you with moving around all day at the clinic and the barn."

"You know what, I don't think I've ever even thought of that," Cleo replied with a scoff at herself. "I could use some. I'm a little worried I'll start getting some lower back pain. I can feel how tight it is and it sometimes makes it hard to bend over," she shared. "Regular human problems, right?"

James nodded. "I have aches and pains too. I'm one hundred and six years old, it's bound to happen at some point. Ask Shuri and see what she can do for you," he smiled, laying down one foot in his lap before starting on the next one.

"You are an old man," she agreed with a soft, tired smile. She would take him up on his suggestion. "So being a super soldier doesn't eliminate aches and pains for you? I thought your body just heals faster than normal and can withstand a lot. But I guess you do still age. Just slower."