Page 52 of Sudden Summer

“Open your eyes. I want you to see exactly how I feel when I look at you.”

Her lashes fluttered for a moment as her shoulders went up and down with her breath. The anticipation buzzed in the air between us. And then, her eyes locked on mine.

I couldn’t have held back my smile even if I wanted to. Because what a fucking honor it was to look at the woman I loved. My eyes slowly toured her exposed skin. I didn’t think about the bruises I could see. Those would fade. They would live on her skin for only a moment. We had our whole lives together. When I looked at her shoulders, I thought of all the summers we spent too long out in the sun, and the way they turned redder than a tomato every time she had a sun burn. My eyes shifted, running along the ridge of her collarbone. How that little spot of skin could have my heart in my throat and my cock aching, I’d never fully understand.

And then my fucking eyes almost fell out of my goddamn head. Because there, right in front of me, was something I’d only ever dared to let my mind wander to a handful of times.

“Fuck,” I whispered. “You’re fucking perfect. Nothing I could have ever dreamed up in my mind could compare to actually seeing you.”

My dick jumped as I licked my lips, looking at her perfect, dusty, rose-colored nipples. They pebbled under my gaze, and there was desire in my gut so strong it nearly bowled me over when I thought about how badly I wanted to wrap my lips around them.

But that could wait. There was still more of Birdie to undress, and I planned to unwrap her like that gift that she was. Because even though in this moment we weren’t doing it in a rush of hotheaded hormones, it was even more important to me to get it right. To touch her in a way that showed her how fucking much I loved her. How fucking sorry I was for what had happened. And how I meant every last word of my promises to her, that it would never happen again.

“Will you get in the bath with me?” she asked as I ran my fingers over her hips.

“Of course I will.”

“Can I…” Her eyes dropped, and my groan was louder than the rapidly rising water level in the tub.

“Birdie,” I choked out her name as her uninjured hand moved toward me. “I better keep them on. I just…there’s just a little situation, and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

I felt the heat of her stare on my crotch, instantly reaching down to adjust myself through my shorts.

“Oh.” The smallest smile pulled up the corner of her lips. “I didn’t think…not with me looking like⁠—”

“Like the most delicious, juicy peach? I’m trying not to remember how you feel like fucking heaven. Trust me, what you went through today, it doesn’t change how I see you. I want you. So fucking bad.”

“I want you, too,” she said quietly. “We better get to it. We’re going to overflow the tub if we don’t get a move on.”

I chuckled, reaching over to turn the water off before I pulled my shirt off over my head. I dropped to my knees, my fingers shaking as I helped her out of her panties. Fucking Christ, I couldn’t hold back. As gently as I could, I let my lips skim over the soft skin on her belly. Birdie sighed, her body melting closer to mine as I peppered kisses over her hip and down her thigh.

I stopped to a groan from her that killed me, and reached down to undo the brace wrapped around her ankle.

“Put your hands on my shoulders and lift your leg up for me,” I instructed. “Don’t set it back on the floor. I’m going to climb into the tub with you in my arms.”

As soon as the brace was off, I scooped her up into my arms, stepped over the wall of the tub and sank down into the warm water.

Birdie settled between my legs, her back pressed against my chest. I guided her arm with the wrist brace still on it over to the side of the tub, where it could rest while I made sure she relaxed.

“I wish I could put my wrist in here,” she mumbled. “The warm water feels amazing on my ankle.”

“I know, but you heard the doctor. Your wrist is worse off than your ankle. He said it was okay for you to slip off the ankle brace for a bath, but that brace on your wrist needs to stay on as much as possible for the next few days. I’ll get some ice for it once we’re done in here.”

Her head turned, and she pressed a kiss right to the underside of my jaw. She moved, like she was about to turn away from me again, but I wouldn’t ever miss the chance again for a real kiss from her.

So, I took my hand out of the water and slipped it along her cheek, turning her face back toward mine until I was able to capture her lips with my own.

And then her body shook. Convulsing uncontrollably.

“Hey…Birdie?”

“I’m sorry,” she cried. “I’m so sorry. I’m trying to be strong. I’m trying to remember that I’m okay. That he didn’t hurt me that badly. That it could have been so much worse.”

“You don’t have to be strong for me,” I choked over my words, my voice sounding like it was a million miles away. “You need to let it out. It’s just you and me here. You’re safe. Let go, Chickadee.”

I didn’t have to say another word. She curled in on her side, her face resting against my arm as her nails dug into the fleshy part just above my elbow. Her tears stung my skin. Searing hot, filled with all the anguish of what she’d been through. Then my own tears fell, hating that I wasn’t there to keep her safe. That I hadn’t made it to her in time to stop the horrible things that he’d done.

Slowly, her breaths evened out, and her grip on me loosened.