“Goodnight,” Tommy said, but he didn’t look at them as they left.
His eyes were solely trained on Minnie.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Minnie’s heart felt like it was skipping beats.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked as Tommy stalked toward her, even as the door clicked shut behind Colin and Rhys.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re about to eat me.”
“Perhaps I am,” Tommy said as one corner of his mouth curled up, although his eyes held that predatory stare.
“Should I be scared?” she half-whispered.
“No.” He shook his head. “I’m the one who is scared.”
“Of what?”
“Of knowing that the thought of losing you has become more than I can bear. That I can’t see how I could ever be without you. That my worry about you leaving me is driving me mad.”
“Oh,” she said, her lips parting in shock.
She understood what he was saying — it was what she had felt when she had been dragged away as he lay there, unmoving, when she hadn’t been sure whether or not he was even alive, let alone whether she would ever see him again.
She wasn’t certain if he was saying this because he truly felt the same for her or if he had been simply scared that he hadn’t been able to protect her like he had so convinced himself he must, but she would take it.
For now.
She stared at him, felt the surety in his gaze, as well as the concern, and she knew what he was waiting for. What he was wondering. She had been too frightened of his response to say it before, but whether he truly meant his words or not, he deserved to know the truth of her own feelings, after all that he had been through for her.
“I feel the same,” she whispered. “When I saw you lying there, Tommy, I—” She had to squeeze her eyes shut to try to prevent the tears from falling, but he must have seen them, for he reached out and tilted her head up toward him.
“Hey,” he said. “None of that. I’m fine.”
“Are you?” she said, lifting a brow. “Your nose is slightly crooked, and I’m willing to bet that you have a great deal of bruising from the beating Garrick gave you.”
“I’m not sure I would call it abeating,” he blustered before insisting, “but I’m fine, Min.”
She gave him a questionable look before reaching out to find out for herself.
He didn’t fight her as she unbuttoned his jacket, slipping it off his arms before slowly beginning to raise his shirt over his head, gasping when the large purplish bruises revealed themselves.
“Tommy!” she exclaimed, reaching out and running her fingers over them as softly as she could, but even that caused him to flinch. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“They’re just bruises. They’ll heal.” He shrugged.
“Yes, but underneath, you don’t know?—”
“There is nothing anyone can do,” he said, cutting her off. “Don’tworry so much.”
“How could I not?” she asked, aghast.
“Well, if you need a distraction, allow me to provide it,” he said, before reaching out and drawing her against him. She still thought that he needed medical attention, but she also couldn’t resist the lure of his arms that drew her closer toward him, until he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her against his body. His lips fell to hers, and she couldn’t help but succumb to his touch, looping her arms around his neck and arching her back as he lifted her up on her toes for better access to her mouth as he slanted his lips over her.
Just when she thought she couldn’t get enough, he pulled away for a moment, kissing her forehead before taking her hand and walking backward toward the bed, tugging her along with him.
