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"Maybe. But I'm sorry anyway."
I took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah, me too. I never meant to accuse you of anything. I knew better than that. I don't know what came over me, because I'm not a jealous person. I guess that's a reaction I'm going to have any time you're near another man. I'll do my best to rein it in, though."
I stroked her cheek. "Know that I do completely trust you, even if I act like a big asshole."
"You weren't quitethatbad. And a little jealousy is okay, I guess." She snuggled down against me.
"So you were coming to surprise me when he showed up, huh? I noticed you packed a bag. Figured you'd be spending the night?"
"I was counting on it." She leaned up then, frowning, looking suddenly stricken with a horrible thought. "What if he'd hit you in the arm or leg? Or head? What were you thinking walking up to someone with a gun when you were only protected from here to here." She tapped my collarbone and my hip.
I smiled and kissed her. "That's just the risk cops take all the time. But if it had hit me in the head, I might still be okay."
"What? How?"
I rapped my knuckles against my skull. "It's pretty damn hard."
She blew out a breath and pressed her cheek against my shoulder again. "That's not funny. Don’t even joke about that."
I chuckled.
After a few more minutes of resting, Callie said, "Can I come back?"
"What?"
"Can I move back here with you? I know it's sudden and everything, but I want to be here. With you."
She rose up to look down at me, so I cupped her cheek. "Baby, I never wanted you to leave."
Her beautiful face broke out into a huge smile, and she kissed me.
"I didn't want to leave you, either. I just thought I should get back to auditioning and try to pick up my life where this whole threat business upended it. And after you left last night, I realized I don't really want any of that. I just wanted to…come home. This place feels like home to me because you're here."
She sniffed, and I brushed my thumb over her cheek. "I'd decided all that, more or less, on the drive here. But then when I saw you on the ground, not knowing if you'd be okay, everything became crystal clear. I want to be wherever you are. Nothing is more important to me than that."
Callie kissed me. "I just love you so much, Blake Donovan. More than I ever thought I could love anyone."
"I love you, baby." I sank my fingers into her hair and kissed her the way I'd imagined kissing her all night after surprising her at her apartment. The way I hadn't gotten to because of the dust-up about Andrew.
I was relieved he seemed to understand his place now. And our relationship was out into the open with her father. Now that we wouldn't have to try to make it work between two towns, it seemed there was nothing that could stand in our way.
I spent much of the day recuperating on the couch with Callie stretched alongside me.
We'd been watching an old black and white movie on TV when Callie moved against me in a way that dug directly into my fresh bruise. I hissed, and she leaned away.
"Sorry! Maybe we should get you into bed? At least there's more room there, so it's less likely I'll batter you."
I let her help me sit up, then I stood with a groan. I'd been shot once before with a vest on, but it was an abdominal shot at a much greater distance. This chest shot at close range made me feel like my muscles might tear apart if I moved too quickly.
We made our way upstairs, and I painfully removed my shirt and pants. Callie had put her bag in my room, which made me smile. As I sat on the edge of the bed, she got on her knees behind me and hugged me.
"How tired are you?" She kissed my neck.
I was sore as hell, but thanks to a lot of naps throughout the day, I was awake enough.
"What did you have in mind?" Something soft snapped closed around my wrist.
"You opened it. I'd almost forgotten all about that."
