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Julian broke off with a groan. “And maybe over there,” he added with a wince. “Dealing withthatfor me.”
Chloe gave him a tearful laugh. “Don’t worry. I’m on it.”
As she pulled away to immediately start toward Julian’s mother-in-law, Julian and I fell into step behind her, following her back to Nia’s casket.
Nudging my arm, Julian sent me a grateful glance. “Hey. Thanks, man,” he said.
Chloe looked over her shoulder just in time to see me nod back to him. I knew she wanted to ask what that was about, but we’d already reached Nia’s mother who wanted to know why they hadn’t lowered the coffin and covered the grave yet.
So we were busy for nearly an hour helping to make her more satisfied with how everything was going.
As soon as we finished, however, the first thing Chloe asked me when we shut ourselves inside my truck to head home was, “Why did Julian thank you?”
I winced. “Because I was an ass and made him think about something other than his own pain at his wife’s funeral.”
“Soyoutold him to talk to me?”
I shrugged and winced and started to scratch behind my ear nervously, just about certain I was going to get into some serious trouble for doing what I’d done.
“I…I knew he didn’t blame you,” I tried to explain. “And no one else was going to reach you but him. I mean, you’re supposed to begrievingright now, but you can’t even start because you’re so flooded with guilt. Dammit. You were suffering, unnecessarily. And when my wife suffers,Isuffer. I was tired of us fucking suffering. And I knew it was inappropriate to go to him about it, but I think it helped you, so I’m not going to fucking apologize. Alright?”
I had honestly intended to sound a lot more humble and apologetic, but the more I talked, the more indignant the words came out sounding. And now I was holding my breath, waiting for her to react because she was just sitting there, staring at me with absolutely no expression, and it was freaking me out.
Then she said, “Take me home.”
I released a breath, certain I was in big trouble. “Chloe…” I started, my voice breaking.
But she hardened her voice and said, “Right now.”
My heart sank. I nodded mutely and put the truck into gear.
“It was the right thing to do,” I said, in one last attempt to defend myself. “Because it worked, didn’t it?”
“Wait until we get home,” was all she said.
So I snapped my mouth shut, my jaw hard, and I remained quiet until we reached her front door. But as soon as she had it unlocked and opened, I started in again.
“I don’t care how pissed you are with me, I’m glad I did it,” I said, following her inside, where she slammed the door shut and whirled toward me in a fury. “You were miserable and—mph!”
The rest of my words were muffled against her mouth as she kissed me hard.
I groaned in surprise and then kissed her back, cupping her face, then her ass when she tried to climb me.
“Not that I’m complaining, even a little,” I said breathlessly when she started licking her way down my throat and gave my mouth a moment to talk. “But, uh…what is happening?”
“Take your pants off, and I’ll show you,” she demanded, ripping at my shirt and tugging it over my head so she could kiss my chest and slide her hands over me.
“God,” I gasped. Then, with a growl, I gripped her hips and set her on a nearby table so I could press my hips between her thighs. “I thought you were pissed at me,” I panted, enjoying every second of her attention.
“Pissed?” she repeated with a disagreeing snort before pulling off her own top. When her breasts bounced inside her bra, I cupped the cloth covering both and kissed her neck. “I’m flattered and honored and completely awed by what you did.” Gripping my hair, she arched her head back, enjoying the suction of my mouth as I made my way to her collarbone. “You either had to be the most inconsiderate ass on the face of the planet to talk to a grieving widower at his wife’s funeral about my issues or you really freaking love me. Seriously, you were like my voice for me when I couldn’t talk. So you… You reallydolove me, don’t you?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” I shot back as I slipped a bra strap off her shoulder and kissed my way down the slope of one breast. “Does this mean you’re finally ready to forgive me for taking too fucking long to figure out how I feel?”
“Yes. Better late than never.” Chloe slid her fingers down the side of my throat. “Plus… You called me your wife.”
I paused and looked up at her in question. “Youaremy wife,” I said. “We said vows in front of a chaplain, and our family was there to prove it.”
“There’s no legal paperwork backing it up.”
