I lay with my eyes closed, playing possum. He moved quietly, gathering some clothes from the drawers and his dock kit from off the bureau. He headed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Snuggled under the covers, warm and a little sluggish, I wondered if Axel had brought clothes in for me last night. I hadn’t heard anyone coming up the stairs. Under Striker’s protection, I had slept very well. I wandered to my bedroom, and sure enough, I found bags piled on the floor next to the chair. I opened the first one from Victoria’s Secret. It held tons of panties—different colors, fabrics, styles. I guessed Axel didn’t want to choose what would be comfortable to me, so he told the sales lady he wanted one of everything. I searched the tag for the size. He’d gotten that right, and they were all the same. Hmm, confident, I thought. No bras—good, I couldn’t wear them anyway, which I’m sure he understood. Pulling off Striker’s oversized sweats, I put on a pair of white cotton low-rise bikinis.
