Letting out a long breath, her shoulders sag as she says, “Thank you.”
My stump aches, and as I turn to move, a spike of pain reverberates through my body so strong that the world tilts. I stumble to the side, and Paige catches my arm.
“I got you,” she murmurs.
I hate appearing weak in front of her, so I straighten up. But she doesn’t remove her hand from my arm.
Her eyes narrow as she studies my face. “You’re pale and sweating.” Her expression turns to concern. “Are you sure you’re ready for that prosthetic?”
“No, but I’ll do it for you and Noah.” Her wide eyes find mine, and I can no longer hold back what I’m feeling.
My fingers brush her cheek, wiping away the smudge on her skin. I voice the question that I’ve wanted to ask since I saw her again.
“Why did you leave?” It’s the question that’s gone around my brain for three years. “Why did you leave me in the hotel roomwithout a note or any way to get hold of you? The connection we had was real.”
Her glance steals to Noah, who’s made a track through the dirt for his truck.
“I was confused.” She frowns. “Mom had just died, and my emotions were heightened. We had agreed it was one weekend only…”
She trails off and bites her lower lip.
“One weekend wasn’t enough. I wanted to see you again. I was going to give you my number, but you left before I could. Didn’t you feel the connection between us?”
The one we still have,I add silently.
“I hadn’t done that before.” She speaks in a whisper, her gaze darting to Noah. “I thought those feelings were just me putting too much on it because it was my first time.”
“First time.” I freeze at the words. “First time having a one-night stand or first time, first time?”
When she bites her bottom lip, I know the answer. That explains her hesitation, her inexperience.
“Shit.” I run a hand through my hair. “I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have…”
“Exactly why I didn’t mention it,” she cuts in. “It was what I wanted, Ryan, and I thought I could handle it, but afterwards, I missed you so much. I didn’t know if what we shared was normal when you’re intimate with someone, and I didn’t want to be the clingy one-night stand, so I left.”
Tears spring to the corners of her eyes, and I wipe them away with my thumbs.
“Hey. There was nothing normal about what we shared, Paige. I’ve never felt like that about a woman before or since. I’ve thought about you every single day since that weekend. I missed so much. I don’t want to miss another day.”
Taking her cheek in my hand, I press my mouth to hers. Warm lips meet mine, and three years of regret and longing surge through me and into the kiss. My hand slides to the back of her head, and I drag her to me, making up for lost time. She surrenders to me with a little sigh. Our bodies bump together, and there’s instant heat and hardness and desire. Warmth encases my body, and for the first time since the accident, I feel alive.
“What are you doing?”
Paige jumps backward as Noah tugs on her leg. He looks between us, waiting for an explanation.
“We were, umm…”
When Paige glances at me, I stifle a laugh. I have no experience with children, but I’m a quick learner. “Do you want a cookie?” I ask.
“Cookie!” He jumps with excitement and runs toward the shed where Paige keeps her bag.
She throws me a smoldering look over her shoulder as she follows him.
I watch them go before turning to hobble back to my room. But I walk a little easier, and the pain is a little less.
24
RYAN
