“You need to rest.You can’t get out of bed.But as soon as you’re cleared to go home, we will make a plan and get your thesis done.”
“Home.How in the hell am I going to do the stairs?”
“You’re going to stay with me,” Damien said, wondering why she thought she’d be anywhere else.
“What?But Grant Pickens is dead.His brother is in custody.I don’t have to stay with you.”
Damien brushed the hair back from her face.“No, you don’t have to.But I want you to.I want you to move in with me.Stay with me forever.This was never temporary for me.It was never about you being in danger.I love you.”
Tears filled her eyes and dripped down her cheeks.“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you still feel the same.”
“I do,” she said with a watery laugh.“I do love you.I… No one’s ever chosen me before.”
“I will always choose you.”
“Thank you.”
Harmony had hatedhospitals for years.Sitting in the chair next to her father as he died was the most painful time of her life.She did nothing but sit there and wait for her father to die.
Being a patient wasn’t any better, but after two full weeks in the hospital, she was finally let go.
She’d been in touch with Doctor Griffiths about the thesis.Her options were to turn everything in on time or delay graduation.Damien was angry on her behalf, but there was nothing that could be done about it.The panel was only together once a year because they only had a few graduates each year.This year, she would have been one of six.
If she could get her paper done.
The nurse wheeled Harmony out of the hospital to where Damien was waiting with his SUV.He had the backdoor open since she couldn’t bend her leg for another month.The bullet missed the bone, but it tore through muscles and other tissue and left her weak.Her body needed to heal before she could put it through the stress of something as basic as walking.
“All set?”the nurse asked Harmony.
Harmony nodded as she slid across the seat to prop her leg up in front of her.Damien waited until she was in far enough to close the back door, then waved to the nurse and walked around the SUV to get in behind the wheel again.
“Are you comfortable?”
Harmony snorted.
“As comfortable as you can be?”
“Yes,” she said.
“I love you,” Damien said before he put the SUV in gear.
“I love you.”Damien was the best thing for her recovery.He knew what she was going through, and he was equal parts encouraging and sympathetic.When she needed a kick in the butt, he gently delivered it.When she needed a moment to feel sorry for herself, he allowed that, too.
But now, they were leaving the hospital.The real work was going to start.He would see her relentless passion for her work.Her drive to get her thesis done.
She hoped he didn’t hate her for it.
Damien parked his SUV outside so Harmony had plenty of space to get out of the backseat.He helped her out, making sure she was stable on her crutches before he unlocked the door.He held it open for her, and she walked inside.
“What did you do?”she gasped.
“Lacey and Claudia helped.They moved all of your stuff from your apartment here.If you want to move back out when you’re recovered, I will help you, but I wanted you to feel comfortable here.”
She looked around his living room, seeing bits and pieces of her life scattered all over.She was touched until she saw what he had in the corner of the living room.
“Is that…?”
