“About?” I ask.
“Both things. We needed a home-cooked meal…and the other thing.”
I can see her cheeks blush as she shifts against my body.
“What other thing, Sunshine?” I toy with her. I turn so I’m facing her more as I cut her off another bite.
“You know…”
“Tell me anyway,” I say as I lift the next bite to her. I keep it barely touching her lips. Her eyes lock with mine. I lean closer replacing the fork with my lips hovering against her own. “Tell me, Sunshine. I want to hear you say it.” I practically whisper against her lips.
“That we're destined to be together.” Her breathy pants are all I can focus on.
I don’t want to push her. As much as I want to crash my lips to hers. Consume every fear, doubt, or ounce of sadness in her body and replace it with the love I feel for herin every god damn cell of my body, I can’t. She’s been through so much, and I want to make sure she knows I don’t need anything from her. I only need her by my side until she’s ready.
“Sunshine…” I whisper. I place my forehead against hers, letting our bodies sync. Our heartbeats. Our breaths. Our fucking souls.
I open my lips to say something else…to tell her how much she means to me. How I know we’re destined to be together because I’ve never felt so connected to someone in my entire life. Never has there been someone whom I could honestly say my very existence was tied to their life force. If we had gotten there and she wasn’t alive, I wouldn’t be here…I would have ended it or let Quin kill me because a world without her in it isn’t a life I want to experience. I don’t even want to fucking think about it.
Her lips press against mine, calmly at first, but increasing in pressure. I can feel the desperation in her kiss. The way her fingers tangle in the fabric of my shirt as she pulls me closer to her. I’ve missed her. Even though I’ve been sitting by her side for weeks, I’ve still missed her. I’ve missed the way her eyes light up when I speak to her. The way her lips would tilt into that half-tilted smirk, and the crimson blush that would spread across her cheeks and chest whenever I praise her.
*Knock* *Knock*
She pulls back, but only slightly. She lets her head fall against my chest again as our breathing slows. The monitor was muted but glancing over, I can see the lines going wild. No wonder they’re checking in again.
“Sorry to interrupt. Just here to switch out her painmedication. How are you feeling?” the younger nurse asks. Her name is Shay according to her name badge.
“I’m all right. Do I need the pain medication?”
“It’s completely up to you. Right now it’s set on a slow drip, but I can switch it over to where you press the button if you need it. Would you be more comfortable with that?”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
The woman leaves to go check with the doctor. I can feel Mina shifting beside me. Her lips are pursed like she’s in pain.
“Hey. Are you sure you don’t need the medication? You don’t look comfortable right now, and it’s been out for a while.”
She looks up at me with those beautiful eyes that I swear makes my breath stop. The soft blush starts in her cheeks and works its way down her chest. She bites her lower lip, as if contemplating what to say next.
“Uh…I’m uncomfortable…but not from the pain.”
Oh?
Oh!
“Oh…” I can’t help but chuckle as I cup her face to kiss her again. “I told you, Sunshine. As soon as you’re healed, I’m going to remind you exactly how much you mean to me. I’m going to worship this body…”
My fingers trail gently down her neck like a ghostly breath whispering against her skin. I can feel her body slightly tremble.
“I’m going to kiss every inch of your body to commit it to memory.”
She closes her eyes as my lips trail down her chin to herneck. I kiss every faint healing scar he left on her body. She shivers when my lips brush her collarbone.
“I will show you who you belong to…You’re mine, Mina. I love you and I’m never letting you go.”
Her eyes open to stare into mine. As if she will find anything besides the truth in my words. I love this woman more than life itself. The need to be by her side outweighs even the need to breathe at this point.
“I…I want it now.”
