My breath hitches in my throat at his words, knees trembling with anticipation.
“If I follow you into that house, you’re mine,onlymine, and I’m never,evergoing to let you go.”
I suck in a sharp exhale through my nose to stop the tears, letting a slow smile spread across my face. A thousand questions flow through my mind; wondering how he can be so confident, how he isn’t wondering the what-ifs, or the hows, or the whys that always seem to paralyze me. I opt instead to give him the only answer that matters, the one that trumps any insecurity or doubt that may rear its ugly head. “Promise?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Iturn to move inside the house, catching Jim’s reflection in the patio door. When his eyes are locked on my backside, I loosen the belt of my robe, letting the panels fall open. I shove the fabric off my shoulders, and it hits the concrete with a soft thud. My skin breaks out in goosebumps, but my body doesn’t have time to shiver because Jim is on the move, bounding after me like a predator. I race back into the house, my heart thumping with excitement at being his prey. I scamper through the living room, around the corner that leads to my bedroom when I hear Jim’s heavy steps behind me, fumbling as he kicks off his boots and pounds down the hall.
I’ve barely crossed the threshold of my bedroom when he catches me, thick arms wrapping around my waist as he tackles me to the bed. I squeal with delight, his mouth coming down hard on the space between my neck and shoulder, and I lean my head to the side, giving him full access.
He rolls me onto my back, pulling away only to position himself directly on top of me before I grip him back to me. My fingers rake through his hair, nails scraping his scalp and pulling so hard it must hurt; but I’m too feverish to stop. He rocks intome, the friction from his jean-clad body against my naked one has me desperate to have him.
“Baby,” he groans, breaking away to place wet, sexy kisses along my throat and chest, moving to the other side of my neck before he pulls back, looking directly into my eyes.
I run my palms up and down his cheeks, curling my hand to run it along his jawline, studying every wonderful, intoxicating feature on his face. Our movements begin to slow, frantic motions softening, and I inhale a deep breath, finally able to relax now that he’s back in my arms.“I’m sorry I was a bitch last night,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you Marcus was my cousin,” he says just as soft.
“Why didn’t you?”
His head falls slightly, and he presses a soft kiss to the center of my chest. “You were begging for any reason to push me away, I didn’t want to hand you one on a silver platter. I had planned to tell you eventually, I promise, but he beat me to it.”
“You should have made me listen. It’s okay to put me in my place sometimes, just tell me I’m being a bitch.”
His head whips up, and he pulls his brows together. “Right, like that’s what you’re looking for, a man to put you in your place.”
“Well, you could have put me somewhat in my place, respectfully, of course.”
His mouth kicks up in a smile.
I run my hands along his jawline again, falling even more in love with him by the second. “You built my dad a handicap ramp.”
He nods. “I did. Well, in full disclosure, I was more of the supervisor while my brothers built it. I sipped coffee with your dad while your mom force fed me banana bread.”
Emotion clogs my throat, and I feel the tears start to build behind my eyes at how thoughtful this man is. “Why would you do that?”
He rolls to lay on his side, propping up on an elbow as his free hand roams my body. “I care about everything in your life, sweetheart, and that includes your family. I want them to be safe, and for you to have one less thing to worry about.”
“I didn’t even know he fell.” I hate that he fell, that he’s too stubborn to use his cane. And I hate when people keep secrets from me. “I’m tough, I can handle hard news.”
“No one denies that.”
“No more secrets between us, Jim. I’m serious. I want to trust you, and that means knowing the good and the bad, no holding back, alright?”
He leans forward to place a soft kiss against my lips, then lets his head fall to kiss my shoulder before pulling back. His hand moves to lay across my hip, squeezing once as his fingertips swirl lazy circles along my skin. He works his jaw back and forth, pausing for a beat before he speaks. “I have one more thing to tell you, then.”
I prop myself up on my elbows, the movement causing him to lean back.
“I was the anonymous donor,” he mumbles.
It takes me a moment to realize what he means by donor. “For my sister?” I sit up further, ushering him back with a palm against his chest. I told him I didn’t want a hand out. I didn’tneedone, either. I would have sacrificed anything and everything to make it work myself without being someone’s charity case.
He sits up along with me, gently gripping my forearms, squeezing once to pull me out of my trance. “Talk to me, baby. What are you thinking?”
I purse my lips, pushing a breath out through my nostrils as I turn to him. “I told you I didn’t need a handout.”
“I know,” he whispers. “But, I cared about you so much already. You were nearly killing yourself, working to the point of exhaustion to survive. I had the means to help you. Even before I knew she was your sister, before I knew the circumstances, her situation spoke to me that night when she came through my ER. And when I realized the connection, I wanted to help in whatever way I could.”
