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“You don’t understand. I can’t give him children. A man like Tobias deserves children. He deserves to have a big family.”
“And he can have one if y’all want,” said Irene. “You can adopt or just be the best Aunt and Uncle to all the babies around here. But don’t run from love, baby. It ain’t all that easy to find. I bet you were workin’ your way through the male population because there wasn’t one that actually made you turn your head or have a second thought.”
“You’re right about that,” she said. “The irony of all of this is that I’ve never even slept with Tobias. We met in the Bahamas and kissed. That kiss scared the hell out of me. I’d never felt what I was feeling in those moments, just from a kiss.”
“That’s some kiss,” chuckled Ruby.
“I just don’t know what I would do if he turns around in ten or twenty years and says he can’t do it anymore. I’d die. I just know I would.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” said the big voice coming from the doorway. “You wouldn’t because it won’t ever happen. You are the other half of my soul, Gail. I think you and I were the way we were because we were waiting on one another.
“Mama Irene would tell you that there is no such thing as coincidence. Everything that has happened was meant to be. Right, Mama Irene? Right, Ruby?”
“That’s right, baby,” smiled Irene. Ruby laughed, kissing his cheek.
“We’ll be outside if you need us. The others are waitin’ to be sure she’s okay. I think we’re goin’ for a swim.” The two old women left the room, and Gail looked up at Tobias. He had a serious expression on his face as he crossed his arms.
“I’m s-sorry. I got scared.”
“It’s okay to be scared. But don’t you ever think of leaving me again, Gail. Do you hear me? This is where you are supposed to be. Right here. With me. Clear?” She looked up as his face came closer and closer to her own. Reaching up, she touched his cheek, softly touching his lips with her own.
“Crystal clear. Now, what’s this about a swim?”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“You want me to what?” she asked with shock.
“I need you to trust me,” he said, smiling at her. He turned to the others with a pleading look, and they all just grinned at him. “Trust all of us. Wilson, Cruz, Doc, Lena, Gray, everyone here. They would never ask you to do something that wasn’t for your own good.”
“B-but they’ll see me,” she whispered. “They’ll see what they did to me.”
“Honey, no one will look. They’re going to turn their backs while you and I get naked. I’m going to slide into the water first, then Doc will lift you and hand you to me. I need you to trust me, Gail. This will work.”
“Trust him, honey,” smiled Lena.
She nodded as the others all turned their backs. Tobias undressed first, and Gail gasped at the beauty of his physique. This was not someone she would ever have approached before. He was too perfect, too determined, too smart. Too everything. But seeing the lean, carved muscles and lightly tanned skin, she knew she was exactly where she should be. He was perfection. Pure and simple. He slid into the water and turned, smiling at her.
“Gotta take it all off, honey.”
She nodded, dropping the blanket around her shoulders. She stepped out of the sweats then pulled the sweatshirt over her head. Tobias saw the horrible bruises, fingerprint marks from their brutal grip on her thighs and behind.
“I-I’m ready, Doc.” He turned, staring only at her face, but carefully lifted her. He’d seen her wounds in the clinic, but this was different, and he understood that. He carefully lifted her in his arms, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.
“It’s all gonna be okay, sunshine. You’ll see.” He handed her to Tobias, watching as she gripped his neck.
“Oh! It’s warm! It’s wonderfully warm!”
“Yes,” he laughed. “I guess I should have led with that. We’re not sure why, Gail, but these waters have healing properties. It’s really quite miraculous. Even my own father was healed by them. And I know that you’ve noticed how young everyone looks.”
“Healing properties? Youth? Like the fountain of youth?” He nodded, then his eyes went down to her legs. Gail stared at her legs, the bruises no longer visible. “H-how?”
“We’re not sure. Honestly, I’m not sure we want to know. How are you feeling?”
“The burning,” she blushed. “The burning down there is gone. My body feels normal. It feels whole. I don’t hurt everywhere.”
“Take a few minutes and swim back and forth,” he said, smiling at her. That long, silky, strawberry-blonde hair floated on the water as she gracefully moved. When she swam back to Tobias, he smiled at her, pushing the hair from her face.
“I can’t believe this.”
