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“Yes, I know.” Her eyes skate over me, sending a zip of electricity throughout my body until I tamp it down. No strenuous activity. Doctor’s orders. I inhale and allow my body to relax.
“Chief Monroe, it’s Harbor.”
She listens for a few seconds. “Thank you. I’m fine. And thank you for letting Kameron and Cole go so Cole could check on me. I appreciate it.”
Seconds pass. “No, no, I’m fine. There is just some bruising but no broken bones. And ignore Cole’s two-week notice thing. He’s staying. I’m moving back home.”
As she listens, she lowers her head back to my chest, raising and falling with each of my breaths. This is what I want. And what I’ve missed with her driving back and forth. A shudder rips along my spine as visions of her crumpled body flash through my mind.
I came so close to losing her. Too close. I squeeze her tighter but still loose enough that she doesn’t cringe.
“Thanks.” She hangs up and stuffs the cell phone back into my pocket. “There. That’s settled.”
“Thank you, Pip. But I’m capable of calling my own boss.”
“I know.” She shrugs and raises to a seated position beside me. “I didn’t want you to wait too long, and he hired someone else. You know the fire station is a coveted position in town.”
“Yes,” I chuckle and flex my muscles. “All the young studs want the job to impress the ladies.”
“Well, it works.” She waggles her eyebrows and bites her bottom lip. The heat in her eyes, as they travel over me, has my back stiffening.
I scoot sideways a fraction of an inch. “Don’t get any ideas, young lady. You heard the doctor’s orders. No strenuous activities.”
“That’s fine.” She closes the distance and draws her leg over mine. “You do all the strenuous activity today, and I’ll lay there.”
“As appealing as that is, that’s not happening today.” I rest my hand on her knee before it makes it to my crotch.
“Spoilsport.” She cups my cheek and stares at me with adoration. “I can’t believe you were going to give everything up to live with me.”
“Pip.” I grasp her chin. “I wouldn’t be giving up anything. I’d be getting the whole world. I love you, and more than anything, this is what I want. I want you in my arms every day. I want to sleep next to you. I want to fall asleep inhaling your shampoo and wake up with your leg, sneakily trying to wake me up for morning sex. I want you to be my wife and the mother of my children.” I swallow hard. “And I thank God that wasn’t taken away from me today by some careless idiot.”
Her eyes shine with unshed tears. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
My grip gets tighter. “It had better be.”
She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck. “It is. And I want the same things. I’m happy that my boss is moving to Meadow Bay, but I would have been happy just being with you. Are you sure you’re good with me moving in with you? I don’t want to impose.”
“Babe….” I glare at her. “If you don’t move in, I’m going to your parent’s house, climb the stairs, and snatch you up and bring you home. You belong with me, and unless you insist on moving, my home is yours. When I bought it, the only person I could see living there with me was you.”
“Damn you.” She threads her fingers through my hair and shifts her knee higher. “Your sweet-talking game is as good as your dirty talking game, and I’m getting ticked off that we can’t celebrate.”
I press my lips to hers and slowly but thoroughly explore her gorgeous mouth. I taste her. I devour her whimpers. I relish every moan and gasp but don’t let her get any closer.
She pulls back and gasps for air. “Damn you. Seriously?” Her pupils are so dilated I can no longer see the ring of blue around the edge. “This sucks. I want to call that jerk who hit me and give him a piece of my mind.”
I climb out of the bed. “Where do you hurt?”
“Just my chest and waist. But I’m fine.” She scrambles higher onto the pillows. “I promise.”
“No strenuous activities for you.” I grin. “But the doctor said I should take care of you and make sure you’re comfortable. So….” I wave my hand over her. “Drop the pajamas.”
“Yes, Sir.” She wiggles out of her clothes, giving me no grief about it.
When she’s naked, I spend a few seconds studying her small frame. It’s marred by bruises, but they do nothing to disguise her beauty. However, they make her more vulnerable. I rake a hand through my hair.
“Cole Thornburg.” She jerks upright. “Do not treat me like a baby.”
“No.” I climb onto the bed before she gets too irritated and hurts herself. “I’ll always treat you like a princess. My princess.”
