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That night I’d certainly touched him. I touched him in places I don’t think anyone else ever had. His reaction and his words had only confirmed that. He’d certainly touched me in places that hadn’t been touched before, especially in my heart. He was still there and I don’t think anything would ever change that.
He’s all I want, which is why I’ve been unable to move on, even if I’m disappointed to find him still engaged to someone else. It confuses me. I mean I knew this before I left for Montana, but it doesn’t make any sense now that I’m here. Not if his whispered words from that night are to be believed, “I don’t want anyone as much I want you,” and I’m sure he’d only spoken the truth.
I glance out into the bedroom and feel fresh tears prickling in my eyes. This isn’t the room I want to be in. I want to be wherever Tanner is, but I understand why we can’t and I need to respect that. I don’t even feel bad for my thoughts about him knowing he’s engaged. That is something we need to talk about because I’m curious as to what is going on with him and her.
And on that cheery thought, I try to move but pain, like nothing I’ve felt before, grabs ahold of me. I inhale sharply before exhaling very slowly—repeating a few times to try and get rid of the nauseous feeling hitting me with the pain.
On one long inhale, I slowly rise and quickly slam my hands against the wall to keep me upright while I gasp at the pain rolling through me.
With a sideways glance, I realize there is no way I’m going to be able to get myself out of this bath. If the pain from rising was as intense as it were, then hell no to even trying.
My body begins to shake as everything comes back to me. Every bruise a reminder of how close I’d come to dying. Every pain telling me that I was more beat up than I’d thought—physically and emotionally. I feel cold...and then I start crying...all the tears I’d held at bay finally crashing over me. It isn’t gentle sobs, but large wracking ones. Ones where your whole body feels it. Ones where no matter how quiet you think you are, you’re actually really loud.
Hearing, “Charlotte?” shouted through the bedroom door, my sobs become louder, and then I hear the door opening.
He curses as he storms into the bathroom. His eyes roam over me, but in a clinical way, although I do catch a brief look of appreciation before he steps forward. He pauses before he reaches for me.
“I should have taken some pain meds before climbing into the tub,” I hiccup. “I can’t get out.”
Grabbing a towel, he wraps it around my back and then I feel his arms enclose me as he quickly lifts me against his chest.
I cradle my arm close so it doesn’t jar my shoulder and sigh into the curve of his neck. He gently places me on the bed and gasps, dropping his ass to the bed when he sees my bruised body.
He slowly reaches to touch me and pulls his hand back at the last minute. “God, Charlotte. I had no idea you hurt so badly.” Meeting and holding my gaze, he leans down and places a soft kiss against my hipbone, moving to the other.
With the pain, my reaction shouldn’t be one of arousal, but that’s how my body reacts. My breasts swell, my nipples throb, and that’s nothing compared to what’s going on between my thighs. At least I’m not concentrating on the pain anymore.
I tangle my fingers into the quilt under me and hold on so I’m not reaching for him. In the end, I give myself away when a moan escapes my lips while I arch into his touch.
He stills and when his gaze rests and teases on my breasts, I feel his hands tremble as his breath rushes out. Grabbing the towel, he quickly covers me, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
I trace along his lips with my fingers. “Don’t be sorry.” I smile. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
He lets out a shaky laugh. “Let me help get you dry and warm, and then we’ll get some pain meds into you.”
“Sounds good.”
“God, I never thought I’d have my hands on you again.” He places a large hand on my belly. “I want to hold and protect you Charlotte.”
My fingers wrap around his wrist as my thumb soothes in circles over his pulse. “You will soon.”
“Hmm,” he mumbles before he reluctantly pulls away. “Let me grab the robe. You’re probably dry now.”
When he moves away, I don’t miss the heaviness at his groin and his eyes heat when he notices me looking. The man teases me when he saunters back, a huge grin on his face, which slips as he leans closer and presses a kiss to my shoulder. He turns his face and whispers, “I’m glad you’re here in my home.” After another kiss on my shoulder, he quickly, but gently, fastens me into a warm fluffy robe.
“One minute.” He runs off and a few minutes later, he comes back in carrying a pair of thick socks. “I want you warm and comfortable,” he admits, slipping them on my feet.
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for looking after you.” He kisses my nose and hovers. “That isn’t the place where I want or need to kiss you, but for now, and out of respect for you, I need to do everything right…until I’ve ended things with Emma.”
Reaching out, I cup his face in my hands when I see the anger in his eyes. “What did she do to you?”
He sighs and I feel the anger draining from him. “I’ve known Emma since high school, and we’ve been together ever since.”
“A long time,” I mumble.
“It is. I’ve changed a lot since then, and so has Emma. I think we’ve both just carried on because we got comfortable, at least, I know I had. It was easier. I’ve known for a long time that I don’t love her, which is why, when she was unfaithful to me, I was more angry that she’d done it without breaking up with me first. It’s a small town, Charlotte.”
