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Vita leaves and Scarlett fidgets in the middle of the room, wringing her poor, pale hands to death.
“Come here,” I say gruffly, needing her closer.
She hesitates only a second before she’s at my side, slipping her pumps off, and climbing into the bed next to me, my eyes flaring wide in surprise.
“Oof,” I hiss out, shifting to make room for her, not giving a shit about my achy body.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers before sliding a leg to the floor, but I snatch her wrist with my good hand, her pulse fluttering under my thumb.
“Where do you think you’re going… wife?” I quirk up an eyebrow at her open mouth.
“Oh, hah, uh, you’re hurt—I don’t know what I’m doing.” She shakes her head.
“Bruised ribs? Least of my concern if it keeps you in this bed.” My throat bobs as I swallow, my heart rate ticking up at her nearness. It means something—it has to.
She eases back beside me, and I stop breathing altogether as she slowly reaches out to run her fingers over my splinted wrist and tiny scrapes on my arm. Pausing on my chest, just below my collarbone, she rests her palm, the heat a permanent tattoo.
“Your heart. It’s beating so fast. Are you positive you’re okay?” Her worried blue eyes roam the rest of my body, fire searing my limbs with every sweep of her gaze.
“It always beats like this around you. Sure, pain will do that too, but right now, it’s you. Here in this bed, next to me, looking so damn beautiful.” Thank God I’m not hooked up to a heart monitor—the nurses would be swarming.
She blushes and ducks her head before bringing it back up to face me, her eyes tormented. Cupping my cheek, brushing over a bruise, her voice cracks. “I thought you were dead.”
“Believe me, it’ll take more than an old lady slamming into me to make me kick the bucket, I promise you that. There’s too much to live for. There’s you.”
Soon, sobs rack her shoulders, and I wrap my good hand around her, drawing her head into the crook of my neck, caressing her soft blonde strands, the scent of lavender and fresh cotton taking me home. Her tears drip onto my skin and I soothe her. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
A big drag of air expands her tiny body. “I love you back,” she whispers, her words a healing balm to my soul, burrowing in deep and stripping me raw. “I’m sorry it took me some time to figure it out. It’s new, and it’s scary, but I do. I love you so much, my chest aches. And it’s not because I thought I was going to lose you. I just—I finally realized how truly special you are and how I’d be lost, so lost without you.”
I thumb away a tear, her blue eyes so bright. “Even if you didn’t love me back, I wouldn’t have left you. Ever.” It’s true no matter how devastated I would’ve been.
She flutters her eyes closed and leans her forehead against mine, us sharing breath, her fingers playing in my hair—gently, lulling me, making me feel safe. And loved.
“You’re such a good man. I don’t deserve you—I feel like I’ve strung you along and that whole Kellen situation—thank God, I never kissed him.” She pauses, her fingers playing with the collar of my hospital gown. “I’m so scared. What if we don’t work?” Her breath on my lips—warm and full of anxiety.
I brush back her hair and place it behind her ear, running my nose up and down hers, relishing the fact I’m allowed to touch her in this way.
“Scar—baby, the only way to make it work is to,” I shrug, “just let it work. No thinking about what if it doesn’t last. Trust it—trust us. You and me?” I kiss her forehead. “We’ve already spent the last decade as best friends and now I just want to hold your hand when I want to and tell you I love you every day. Kiss you when I want.” Her fingers tease my ear and I shudder. “Honestly, that’s not enough, so add worshipping your body as soon as I’m out of here because I ache for you. Darlin’, you’re sexy as fuck. I’m so lucky you kicked Kellen to the curb.”
Her laughter, lilting and free, breaks my dam of restraint.
Tilting her head until her eyes steal mine, I speak over her parted mouth. “I want you—craveyou.” I dismiss the throbbing in my skull—and my ignored dick—to slant my mouth over hers.
Greedily, she sucks at my lips, snagging one with her teeth and I swear to God I did die right here and go to heaven.
A growl erupts from my chest, and I disregard the sharp twinges in my ribs and the pain in my wrist to drag her flush to my body, tangling my leg with hers, my splinted hand cupping her head. “I’ve dreamed for so long to hold you like this, to taste you. Fuck me—can I touch you? Please?” I plead with her, not caring how needy or desperate I sound.
“Yes, yes, you don’t need to ask,” she says, just as breathless as me and my erection thumps painfully under the sheet, aware it’s pressed up against her stomach.
“I most definitely need to ask. I’m terrified of doing something you don’t want.”
My nerves must show on my face because she rubs a thumb across my damp lips and murmurs, “This is much different from that night. We’re choosingthis. Don’t be nervous. I want it all with you and I might explode if you don’t touch me soon. I’ve never been this turned on by anyone before.”
Heat coils in my dick and it’s all the permission I need. Positioning us so my good hand is accessible, I slip down to unbutton her work slacks, helping her tug them off along with her underwear, and chuck them over the bedrail. I draw the sheet up over us and pause, enjoying her bare legs against mine.
Skin so soft, I can’t help but run my palm up and down her silky limbs, around her shapely thigh, over her hips and under her shirt, not missing the gasp that escapes her lips once I graze under her bra and over her breasts. Rolling my finger over her stiff nipple, I find her rosy lips and swallow her guttural moan as I pinch that peak between my fingers and pull.
“Oh my God,” she whispers after I’ve released her swollen mouth from a drugging kiss.
