Nicholas woke up the next morning with a low groan. His jaw was throbbing. Slowly, he slid from beneath Lorraine's hold, making sure not to wake her up in the process. When he finally got out of her grip, the twenty-seven-year-old padded over into the bathroom. He frowned as he looked at the bruise forming on his left cheek. 'Damn,' he thought to himself as he pressed two fingers to the darkened skin, wincing at the sharp pain that shot through him, 'I forgot how hard Lorraine's punches are.'
Taking a fresh washcloth, Nicholas wet the cloth under the cold water before moving it to his jaw in an attempt to ease the throbbing. He was so distracted, he didn't notice his lover enter the bathroom, holding an icepack for him. He almost jumped when she placed her hand on his shoulder but relaxed
