He brushes his lips against mine. “That I love you.”
The air catches in my lungs, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“That we were married with kids.”
The butterflies die, sinking like a brick.“Do you want those things…with someone?”
Because one of those, obviously, won’t be me.
“I want them with you,” he says, low and hoarse.
I suck in a breath and brace myself. “And if you can’t?”
He’s quiet, and the longer he takes to answer, the louder my heart pounds. We’ve had this discussion before, or danced around it. I still doubt he’ll settle for less than he deserves.
This differs from Ethan, who resisted kids and marriage. Who’s as devoted to Jax as he is to me. Who was open to a threesome from the start.
Reece can have everything he desires and is worthy of, just not with me—but I’m selfishly attached to him.
“Then we keep dreaming.” He kisses the tears from my cheek. “We live in our own world and write our own story.”
Hope blossoms in my chest. “You sure?”
“You’re all I thought about while bleeding out on that garage floor.” His ocean-blue eyes turn glassy, brimming with emotion. “You have been the best part of my life.”
“Don’t say it like that.” My lip trembles. “Like a goodbye. I won’t survive.”
“Stop it,” he grits through his teeth, brows raised. “It’s embarrassing enough for me to sit here in a gown, but if you make me bawl in front of the guys I command, I’ll be ruined.”
My shoulders slump. “Do you have to go back to work?”
His lips find mine. “Most likely.”
“Seeing you in your black pants and T-shirt might give me flashbacks. No offense.”
“I’ll put on all my gear for you and we’ll create better memories, I promise.” The grin he throws me is deeply suggestive.
“Are you flirting with me, Viking?” I glide my fingers across the stubble on his jaw and thread them in his hair. “Who are you right now?”
“A man eager to get you in a bed.”
Well, that’s different.
I stare at him, my body unsure of how it wants to respond. I’m not feeling remotely sexy. I’ve lost track of how many days I’ve worn these clothes. Two? Three? There’s a chance they were dirty when I threw them on. I wasn’t exactly thinking straight.
And the hospital toothpaste might be chalk.
“Is that so?”
Again with the grin, this one teasing. “Yeah, you can’t sleep here. You need to rest, eat, and shower.”
“Wow.” I stretch out the word. “Do I smell?”
“No… Okay, maybe a little.” He laughs then winces. “Better than me, I’m sure.”
I return to resting my head on his shoulder. “Deal with it. I’m not leaving until you do.”
He suppresses a yawn. “That’s what I’m afraid of, and tomorrow, you’lldefinitelysmell.”
