I didn't argue. I felt bad for him, stuck in that recliner all night, but I was too grateful for his company to argue. The next morning, I snuck down the hall to Sterling's room. Forrest still sat outside, his dark curls rumpled, his face pale, eyes sad. I wanted to offer him a word of comfort, but out of loyalty to my sister, I walked by in silence. I might forgive him one day. After Sterling did. Not before.
Sterling was sitting upright in bed, her golden hair pulled back in a ponytail, a scowl on her face. "They won't let me go home," she complained.
"They want another look at your brain," I reminded her.
She rolled her eyes. "You going home? You're okay?"
"I'm fine, just a headache and a sore throat. I'm supposed to rest."
"I'm sorry I talked you into looking for Shadow," Sterling said after a minute. "I was so worried, I didn't think–"
"Savannah found her. Tyler shut her in a laundry hamper. She's fine."
"I know. I wouldn't go to sleep until Griffen found out where she was. I'm sorry. If we hadn't–" Sterling's eyes filled with tears. "Griffen said Len isn't awake."
"It's not your fault, Sterling. It's Tyler's. And he's dead. Did you hear Bryce pulled through surgery? And even though Len isn't awake, the swelling on his brain has gone down, which is a good sign." I moved to sit on the side of Sterling's bed. "They're both going to be okay."
"I feel like I should say I'm sorry about Tyler." Sterling avoided my eyes. "But I'm not."
I nudged her shoulder with mine. "I get it. I feel awful for Claudia. It was terrible listening to Nash tell her." I'd been able to hear my mother-in-law's wails of grief over the phone, the answering pain in Nash's face breaking my heart for both of them. "But Tyler tried to kill us. If he got what he wanted, four people would be dead. Every time I feel bad, I remember that, and I'm not sorry Hawk shot him."
"You sure you're okay?" Sterling asked.
"I'm fine," I assured her. And I was. Extremely fine. I walked out of Sterling's room and into Nash's arms.
"Ready to go home?" he asked.
"I am. I really am." Belying my words, I stayed where I was for a moment longer, wrapped in Nash's arms, exactly where I belonged.
We arrived at Heartstone to a household prepared to fuss, especially over me. Savannah waved them all away, ushering me to our rooms, where she'd already run a bath. Ordering us to call when we wanted food, she left, shutting the door firmly behind her.
"Join me?" I asked, tipping my head toward the steaming tub, fragrant with lavender and vanilla.
In answer, Nash stripped off his clothes, baring his gorgeous body. I drooled, just a little, before letting him help me in to the tub. Sinking down in the deep, hot water, I let it wash away the antiseptic stink of the hospital layered over the yuck of old smoke from the fire. It felt like the fire and the attic were a million years ago instead of the night before.
Dunking my head, I scrubbed my fingers against my scalp, surfacing to slick the water from my face and hair. Nash lounged against the end of the tub, a smile teasing his lips. "You look like a water nymph," he said, his eyes raking over my naked form.
"Is that so?" I asked, turning in the water, straddling his waist. An hour ago, I would have said sex was the last thing on my mind. But that was before the tub and naked Nash. His hands closed over my hips, pulling me snug against him, his mouth teasing my neck. I rocked into him, moaning as his length fit perfectly against me, stroking over my clit hard enough to pull a gasp from my throat.
"Not yet," Nash murmured against my wet skin. Nudging me back, he soaked a washcloth, wringing it out and adding a liberal sploosh of bath gel. With long, slippery strokes, he washed every inch of my skin, turning me to work lather through my hair, even combing through conditioner. By the time I was clean, every nerve in my body was on fire.
I grabbed a fresh washcloth and went to work on Nash, taking my time exploring his body until he smelled like grapefruit instead of lavender and was every bit as turned on as I was. He didn't argue when I slid into his lap again, wrapping my fingers around his hard cock and fitting it against my pussy, sinking down so slowly, raking my teeth across his jaw. The catch in his breath as he hilted inside me was perfection.
He leaned me back, closed his mouth around one nipple and sucked hard, sending spikes of bliss through my body, my hips rolling faster, splashing soapy water over the edge of the tub. Neither of us cared.
Later, Nash helped me out, tossing towels on the floor so we didn't slip, urging us both into the shower to rinse off before bundling me into my robe and leading me to our bed.
"It's barely lunch time. I don't need a nap," I protested.
Nash nuzzled my neck before saying, "I do. After we beg Savannah to send up some food. Neither of us got much sleep last night."
That was true. As exhausted as we'd been, it had still been impossible to sleep in the hospital between our worry and the constant interruptions. Despite my protests, my mouth opened in a jaw cracking yawn.
Nash sent a quick text to Savannah and patted the mattress beside him. I was there in an instant, no place I'd rather be than next to Nash. His phone beeped.
"Lunch will be here in a half hour," he said, pulling me to his side.
I rested my head on his chest and let out a long sigh. Finally, after so many years of dreaming, of denial, of heartbreak and misery and hope, I was exactly where I wanted to be. With Nash, our future stretching before us, nothing but possibility.
