He tensed a little. “Oh. I forget about it since I can’t see it.” It was clear it made him uncomfortable, and I didn’t want to ruin this amazing night, so I dropped the conversation. For now.
“You have a really great ass,” I said, changing the subject.
His shoulders dropped. “Uh, thanks.”
“You think I could take a turn on it sometime?”
He glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. “Think you can handle me?”
I laughed. “I think I can handle that ass just fine, thank you.”
With a chuckle, he hopped over to the wash bowl on his dresser. “I wouldn’t mind giving you a turn.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?”
I shrugged even though he wasn’t looking at me. “Don’t know. I wasn’t sure you’d want to receive.”
“I like it both ways.”
“Me too.”
“Good to know.” He shot me another smirk, then went back to cleaning himself up.
I decided I’d have to ask him more about his tattoo another time. Right now, he was letting himself be fully vulnerable with me, showing me a side of himself that he hid away from everyone else. Even being fully naked with me wasn’t something I’d take for granted. Letting me see him move around his room without his prosthetic on was a big deal, and I didn’t want to make light of that or to—goddesses forbid—bring up another sore spot.
I honestly couldn’t even believe he was letting me see him this way.
My heart swelled so big with affection for the man, I was afraid it would burst right through my ribcage.
When he came back over with a washcloth for me, I leaned up to kiss him lightly before letting him wipe off my belly, chest, and ass.
“Thank you.”
“Anytime.” He dropped the cloth on top of his dirty clothes, then climbed back into bed.
As soon as he lay down, I scooted up to rest my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. Then, because I simply had to, I nuzzled the hair on his chest for a few seconds, kissed him there, and settled back on his shoulder.
When I glanced up, he seemed amused, but all he did was press a kiss to my forehead, making me sigh at the sweet gesture.
We were quiet for a few minutes, and I thought he was falling asleep until he whispered, “Let’s stay here forever. Never leave this room.”
“That sounds like a great plan to me.”
He sighed, kissed the top of my head again, and pulled me tighter to him. I wrapped one arm and one leg around him, practically clinging to him like a barnacle, wishing it could come true even knowing that it couldn’t.
My heart swelled and broke in equal measure, so I buried my face in his chest and held him as tight as I could, breathing him in and memorizing his scent, memorizing the way his chest rose and fell with every breath, memorizing the curves of his muscle, the softness of his skin, memorizing every single thing about the man, every single moment I had with him.
Hoping with my very being that I’d be able to remember this moment for the rest of my life, even when we were separated.
Wishing on the stars outside his window that we’d never be parted, though I knew it was inevitable.
Closing my eyes, I held on tight to the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, even knowing I couldn’t.
23
Maximus
