“Call Paul in, Gideon. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Gideon had to admit he was more nervous than he’d first thought, watching Paul perform an actual exploratory surgery on Rory. Paul had taken his time examining Rory’s lungs, looking much like one would do with an X-ray to see what Whitney had done to make it more difficult for her to breathe.
When Paul stepped back, he shook his head, looking puzzled. “The mass, which is in both lungs, appears to be calcification. It has stayed the same size, or seems to have, since she was a child. I can’t see signs of growth. I would have to biopsy it to be certain if I was treating this as a regular doctor. What that calcification originated from is anyone’s guess.”
“Is there a possibility the blockage developed naturally?” Gideon asked.
“In both lungs? I doubt it, but I’ll wait to see what exactly it is. If I can clear it, I will.”
Paul, as usual, didn’t waste time speaking. He lifted his palms and placed them an inch from Rory’s left lung, his features serene but still a mask of concentration. Watching Paul work was fascinating. Watching him work on Rory was nerve-wracking.
Gideon fixed his gaze on Rory’s face. She looked like an angel to him, with her dusting of golden freckles and the dark cherry–colored hair spread across the pillow. He wrapped his fingers around her much smaller hand and held her palm against his heart. After what seemed liked hours, Paul finally stepped away from the bed and staggered backward until he found the chair behind him.
Marc handed him a bottle of cold water, and Gideon waited, noting Paul struggled to breathe properly. It took a good half hour before Paul could talk to him, and then only in a whisper.
“Whitney introduced a bacterial infection. That created calcified granulomas—several—to block her airway. They aren’t cancerous, which is the good news. I was able to remove them. Whitney made it as difficult as possible for Rory to breathe. I’m not certain why, when she was already having trouble with asthma.” Paul sounded exhausted.
“I’ll help you to bed, Paul,” Marc said.
“She’s going to need rest, Gideon. This was a surgery. Don’t let her run around for a few days. I did my best to promote healing at the surgery sites, but she’s going to need care.” Paul stood up, swaying a little.
“She’ll get it,” Gideon assured him. “Thanks, Paul.”
Paul lifted a hand but didn’t reply as Marc helped him from the room.
THREE WEEKS LATER
Rain fell, the drops hitting the wide bank of windows that ran along one wall of the bedroom. The moan of the wind heralded the storm coming in from the sea. Clouds appeared in various shades of dark purples, deeper blues and blacks, rolling and tumbling low. Lightning forked in the lower edges of the clouds, leaping from one to the next.
Gideon felt the fierceness of the gathering storm in his body, matching the one moving in rapidly from over the sea. Rory lay in his bed beside him, staring up at him with her vivid green eyes filled with so much desire. She didn’t try to hide it from him. She never did. She reached up to touch his jaw with the pads of herfingers. He treasured when she stroked those caresses along his stony features, painting his jaw and lips with her love. The way she touched him always felt like a potent mixture of love and sensuality. He found her sexy beyond measure.
He took his time, leaning over her, needing to see her eyes change color, grow even darker with the fusion of love and heated lust right before her dark cherry–colored lashes fluttered and lowered as he took possession of her soft, perfect lips. He loved everything about her mouth. He pulled her into him, holding her closer, kissing her over and over, his heart nearly exploding.
Gideon hadn’t known he was capable of feeling this depth of emotion—the overwhelming kind of emotion that meant he knew if he lost Rory, it would utterly destroy him. He certainly hadn’t been aware he could feel such a powerful passion for any woman, let alone such intense love.
A ferocious need clawed at his belly and groin, raging to claim her, to make her wholly his. It was a primitive need, and again, one he didn’t recognize. Love kept his touch tender as he kissed his way from her lips to her chin, down her throat to her generous breasts. He kissed his way over the sweet curves. Her skin was like satin. Soft and smooth next to the roughness of him.
She gasped when he nuzzled her left nipple, her hips bucking. He pinned her beneath him with his body, fitting his hips into the cradle of hers as he drew the stiff peak into the hot cavern of his mouth. She cried out, her arms cradling his head to her, back arching to offer him better access. He pinched and tugged her right nipple gently. All the while, her body responded, hips jerking and body shivering or shuddering in answer.
He pulled back just enough to ensure desire was still foremost. She wore a dazed expression, her eyes dark with a combination of heat and lust. He ran his hand possessively from her throat to the slick cherry-red curls between her legs. All his. His need was onceagain taking a brutal grip on him as sparks of electricity crackled between them.
Murmuring reassurances to her, he kissed his way down her body, desperate to taste her. He felt like a man starving. Her scent had been wreaking havoc with him for weeks, threatening to drive him insane. Sometimes he woke at night, certain her taste was in his mouth. He dreamt of her and this moment, with her soft skin and hot body.
Settling his wide shoulders between her thighs, he cupped her bottom with his palms and lifted her to his waiting mouth. He felt as if he’d waited a lifetime for this moment.
Gideon.
She sounded breathless as he breathed warm air into her slick heat. His name. She made his name sound like love, passion, adoration. He ran his tongue up first one thigh and then the other, making himself wait. Making her wait. Very gently, he circled her clit, feeling her nerve endings burst into fiery life, sizzling and sparking. Her body jerked, and she whispered his name again, this time in a plea.
You need to be ready for us, Rory.
He dipped his head and ran his tongue through her slick folds, sending shock waves of white-hot fire through her entire bloodstream. He stayed connected with her to ensure he was giving her pleasure, not realizing until that moment that by sharing with her, it would amplify his passion too. He craved her taste, was completely addicted. Desperate for more. He lapped greedily at her, devouring as much of the liquid spilling from her as he could.
The primitive predator in him fought for control. His mind, her mind, ceased all coherent thought. They both needed, and that need was all-consuming. The fire burned like the storm outside, out of control, flames so hot it threatened to consume them both. His tongue was rough and then gentle, stabbed deep and thenlapped at her clit, and circled and flicked. There was no rhythm to catch, only the continuous sensations that took her closer and closer to the edge.
Let go for me, Rory.
He was desperate to have her, his cock nearly bursting. He fit his mouth over her hot little clit and suckled. Instantly, he saw the bright hot flashes behind her eyes, the sparkling colors, and felt the intense sensations pouring through her in waves as she cried out her pleasure.
