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“Because I had this strong premonition that you needed me. I even dreamt it… that I had to find you.”
He led the way to the sitting area, and she stopped him. Instead, she took his hand and went to the other side of the room where the king-size bed invited.
She took his face in her hands and kissed him, murmuring low. “I’ve missed you so much, I want to lie with you again, be close to you.”
He followed her lead, and they both laid down together. Her hands came up to his face, and she gently caressed the skin before kissing the puckered area near his left eye. “I’m sorry, Whit. For what you’ve been going through. How hard it must have been doing everything alone.”
He lowered his forehead to hers so she wouldn’t see his expression, afraid the tears were still so close he’d break down again. “It’s the realization that I didn’t have to do it alone is what’s so hard now. Accepting that I’ve been such a self-centered, egotistical fool broke me earlier. In fact, I’d reached that truth just a little while before you knocked.”
“You did? What brought it on? I mean you’ve held out this long, something must have made you see the light. Oops. Sorry. No pun intended.”
He grinned at her cheeky reply and then became serious once more. “I hadn’t heard from Glen, and it suddenly dawned on me that I couldn’t call and find out what happened. Because of my stupid choices, I’d put myself in this position. And the more I worried, the more absurd the reasons seemed. Self-centered vanity… let’s call it what it was. In my arrogance, I thought I’d shelter you from my nightmare. But all I did was make it impossible for me to be there for you if you needed me.”
She leaned over him and stared into his face. “Look here you idiot. I’ve needed you from the minute you drove away. You. Not the hero. Not the handsome Whitacker Hart all the other women go ga-ga over. And certainly not the bigshot who needs to take care of everything himself. But the man who makes me believe in myself. The sweet guy who puts everyone else first. The dude I’m with right now.”
She snuggled back into his arms and sighed with happiness. In easy silence, they hugged for a long time, both soaking up the intimacy and rejoicing in the feel of the other. The warmth of their being together seeped through her tired muscles and her body relaxed until sleep took them both.
***
Whit lay with Demi in his arms and felt incredibly blessed. He’d just hit bottom when her knock had come to his door. Lower than he’d ever been before. He’d hated the dark abyss… hated himself for his behavior. And hated knowing it had all been his own fault.
Then she’d arrived and made his world come alive again. Love swelled throughout him. Love for the woman who’d wrought such a miracle.
The last thought that came before sleep lifted him into its shadow made him smile. His doctor had told him repeatedly that he needed him to think positive, to stay well rested, and no stress.
For the first time since his accident, thinking of those suggestions, he could truthfully say he’d now be able to follow all three.
Chapter Sixteen
Some hours later, when the room dimmed with the approaching evening, Demi opened her eyes to see Whit staring her way. “Can you see me?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because of the way you’re watching me, as if you’re memorizing my face.”
“I am. Actually, I have a slight bit of peripheral vision, stronger on my right side. Tomorrow, they’re doing a corneal transplant on my left eye, and we’re hoping I’ll get full sight back after the bandages are removed.”
“I’m so glad I came today. How long do you have to wait and see if it’s successful?”
“Weeks, I imagine. Don’t really know for sure. Guess it depends on a lot of things.”
“Will you be here or at the hospital?”
“I’m thinking both places. Can you stay with me?”
“Of course. I’ll need to get my stuff from the other room I booked into.”
“What? Why? Did you think I’d turn you away?”
“No. I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to put you in a position where you had me walking in, suitcase in hand and expecting to be taken in. Didn’t seem fair somehow.”
“Because you didn’t trust me. And that’s on me. I know that now, baby. And it’ll never happen again. From this moment, you’ll always have a place with me no matter what happens… for as long as you want.”
She moved to put her lips close to his and whispered her truth before she closed the gap. “I feel the same. I’ll cancel my room and move in here. Just try and get rid of me now.”
Then she kissed him and felt herself flow into the waiting sensations. Their lips ignited the passion as they sipped at each other’s with growing intensity. His hands left her back and began searching under her shirt, caressing the skin, reaching around for the engorged breasts waiting for his touch.
Oh yes. She needed that. Wanted him. Loved that tantalizing tingling that began to arouse. Shivering with happiness, she lifted her arms around his neck to give him better access. Slowly, as if being together satisfied the bigger need, they took time to cuddle in place, letting his hands build the magic. But eventually, the sensations began to rouse their need, and their breaths turned from sighs of contentment to moans of hunger.
