Instead of replying, he practically runs down the steps toward a car that was parked off to the side, leaving the two of us staring at each other as we try to process what just happened. “I’m so sorry, Eli,” she says as she moves to unlock the front door. “I don’t know what he hoped to accomplish, to be honest, but I don’t care.” Once the door is unlocked, she picks up the cat carrier again and we head into the house. “Home sweet home,” she teases. “Let me get some windows open to air it out.”
“How about we get Cami settled in for a nap, Kevin situated with his food, water, and his litter box that I saw on your porch and then I’ll help you?” I counter. “Plus, we’ll put in a grocery order, and I’ll send one of the prospects to pick it up since I know you likely don’t have anything readily available for us to eat. I’ll have them pick up some pizza for us as well.”
“Okay, I like your plan much better,” she teases.
Hours later, with Cami now settled in for the night and Kevin exploring the house, we lounge on the couch in the family room, tucked in each other’s arms. I hand her a beer then tip my bottle toward her and ask, “What are your plans for tomorrow?”
“I need to go to the hospital and have labs drawn before they’ll take out my PICC line,” she replies. “Thelma reached out to Bettyso she’s aware I’ll be coming by. It’ll give me a chance to talk to her about when I can go back on the schedule, since I don’t think I’ll be able to be added to the rotation until this thing comes off,” she adds, pointing to the wound vac. “I’ll be getting Worker’s Comp through the agency.”
“You need to take some time off, you definitely work too hard,” I say, my tone somewhat accusatory. The woman never seems to stop and is always doing something. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but even after she was hurt, she found ways to finish out her contract. “Plus, you’ll be able to check into what it’s going to take to get your next degree.”
“True, although I’ve already done the research on that. But I also need to reactivate Cami in the daycare at the hospital.”
“Why?” I question.
“Because even if I’m off, I can’t really take care of her like this,” she replies, waving her left arm. “And you’ve got a tattoo shop to check in on to make sure it’s still standing.”
I chuckle since the two artists I have working there with me have been keeping me in the loop as far as how business is going. Still, there’s paperwork to get caught up on and turn over to Psycho since he does all the money stuff for our businesses. No sense in getting in trouble with the tax man because something wasn’t filed timely.
“We can either put her back there or let our Steel Raider family continue to watch her,” I tell her.
“It’s totally up to you, Eli,” she says.
“No, it’s not, sweetheart. You get a say so here as well since we’re together,” I reply. “Also, I know it’s sudden in a lot of ways, but how do you feel about us moving in?”
“I think I’d like that, unless you want to find somewhere else?” she questions.
“Phoebe, why would I want to take you from a home you’ve created? One that I know Cami will love once she’s older and she sees the tiny fairy lights you have strung up, or the various butterfly bushes that attract not only butterflies but honeybees? It’s a fairytale come to life,” I state. “Plus, it’s big enough for the kids we’re going to have in the future.”
“Babies with you?” she whispers, her eyes wide. “I don’t know how we’re going to accomplish that since we haven’t even had sex yet.”
“Once your PICC line is out, all bets are off,” I reply. “Because I crave you, Phoebe. With every breath I take and every beat of my heart, you’re it for me, sweetheart.”
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
Phoebe
“But you haven’t actedon it,” I say.
“Because you got hurt, baby. What kind of man would I be if I didn’t exercise some patience and wait? Sleeping with you in my arms these past few weeks has been the sweetest torture, Phoebe, knowing what I held against me.”
“Really?” I whisper.
His words soothe something inside of me that I wasn’t even aware was hurting. While I don’t like to think of my marriage with Alex, the fact that he was here earlier has had those memories a lot closer to the surface than they’ve been for a very long time.
“Yeah, really. Why do you think there were pillows surrounding us?” he asks.
“To protect my arm,” I reply.
“To keep you from feeling my hard dick pressed against you as I was curled around you,” he rebuts. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Phoebe, and while I was making sure you were comfortable and didn’t hurt yourself in your sleep, there was no way to hide my physical reaction.”
Before I respond, I straddle him with my legs on either side of his muscular thighs. Feeling the proof of his desire pressed against my core sends warmth coursing through me and I mentally curse the fact that I’m still somewhat hobbled by my PICC line and the wound vac. Because I’d love nothing more than to explore these feelings further. Instead, I lean in and place my lips against his and whisper, “There are other things we can do, you know.”
His low chuckle has me grinning before he takes over the kiss and I find myself lost in the sensations he evokes in me. When he pulls back, his forehead against mine, he asks, “Is that what you want, sweetheart?”
“Maybe? I don’t know, Eli. I mean I know I was married,” I reply, my eyes growing wide when he growls low in his throat. “But… I mean… damn, this is difficult,” I grumble, huffing out a breath.
