"I'm going to make you a lousy wife." She held up her hands and dropped them. "All right fine. I'll give up my place and live with you full time. Then later on, we'll revisit this marriage business."
Two days was enough to be lying flat on her back, but the doctors had insisted on a week. It was driving her nuts.
"No."
"You cannot force me to marry you." She snapped, glaring at him.
"If it comes to that, but I doubt it will. We love each other."
"No, we don't."
Biting back an angry retort, he pressed on. "I love you and you have the hots for me. I can live with that."
"And what happens when I no longer have the hots for you?" She asked heatedly and earned a smug smile.
"You can wipe that expression off your face, you're not irresistible."
"Want me to prove how irresistible I am?" he asked softly.
He had been by her side every day, even when she told him she was fine. "I'm surrounded by a medical staff every damn hour of the day. You don't have to be here." He had simply ignored her.
Armed with his devices, he worked quietly, leaving the room only to make calls. His assistant, an efficient no-nonsense looking woman frequently dropped by to bring him documents. He had been assigned a room where he was able to do his work.
His family dropped by frequently, including the children who had started bringing her little gifts like hand painted cards. She was overwhelmed by the attention.
"Go away, I'm tired." Folding her arms over her breasts, she turned away.
Putting aside the laptop, he rose and walked around to sit on the bed.
"I know what's bothering you." He told her quietly, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.
"So, you're a mind reader now."
Ignoring her waspish tone, he continued to rub her arm. "I cannot begin to understand anything about your mother and how much you must be hurting."
"I'm fine."
"Please don't do that." His calm tone had the tears burning the back of her eyes.
He had come into the room and heard the conversation. She had called to tell her mother she was in the hospital and that she was planning on getting married.
The answer had been expected, but that had not stopped the hurt. She had been told in no uncertain terms that she was on her own.
"I have an obligation to my church sister who is bedridden and needs my help. I told you before that I want no part of that kind of situation you've gotten yourself into."
"It doesn't matter." She said hoarsely.
"Of course it does. She's your mother."
"She never was." She blinked at the tears and hated herself for the vulnerability. "These babies are going to be her grandchildren, and it does not matter. Your family are constantly here, giving their support. Because of you. I have no one. Do you know how that makes me feel?"
"Look at me." He demanded.
When she did, he felt his heart wrenching at the despair and sadness in her magnificent eyes. "Never let me hear that from you again. You have me and our babies and my family. I want it to be enough for you. You'll never have to wonder if you're loved."
He tucked a hand under her chin and used his thumb to wipe the trickle of tears that had escaped. "It's her loss. Baby, please don't cry, you're breaking me in two. Let me be your husband, I want that more than anything else in this world. Let me show you how loved you are."
Digging her hands into the material of his sweater, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed brokenly.
