She flips on the light and when her eyes settle on my face, she gasps and covers her mouth with a mumbled, “Oh my God.”
I smirk. “That bad, huh?”
Delicate fingers lift to my face, her blue eyes dart from one wound to the next, as if categorizing them by severity. Her expression grows hard. “Tell me he looks worse.”
I grip her wrist and kiss her palm. “He looks worse.”
“How did this happen?”
“He warned me to stay away from you.” I turn on the shower and from behind her, I slip a bra strap off her shoulder, kissing her there. “I told him I couldn’t do that.”
She turns around to face me. “How did he know?”
“I’m not sure, and it doesn’t really matter anyway.”
“Did you tell him we broke up?”
I cringe hearing those words from her lips. “No.”
“Why not?” Her eyes widen. “This all could’ve been avoided—”
“Because in my mind, we didn’t break up. I was giving you the space you needed but we were very much still together.” I slip my sleeping shorts from my legs and step into the shower, holding my hand out for her to follow.
She slips off her panties and bra, and finally I have her naked against me. “So why did you guys fight?”
Holding her beneath the warm water, I run my fingers through her wet hair. “I didn’t like what he was saying about you so I tried to leave. He followed me into the hallway, grabbed my arm, told me I couldn’t see you again, threatened to kick me off the team. Next thing I knew he threw a punch. I defended myself.”
I lift her chin to meet my eyes.
Her stare is cold and dark. “What did he say about me that you didn’t like, Theodore?”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“Tell me what he said.”
I lick my lips and stare down at the lovely woman with the devil in her eyes. I turn her, back her up against the wall, and lean my forehead against hers. “He tried to convince me that you’re unwell.”
Her breath hitches.
“Dangerous.”
She tries to turn her face away, but I go with her making sure to hold her gaze.
“A threat to not only my safety, but your own.”
She juts out her chin, sniffs, and holds me with her cold stare. “And what did you say?”
“I told him those are all the things I love most about you.”
The firm line of her mouth softens. “You told him that?”
I nod and pull her arms above her head, holding them at the wrist with one hand. “Did I tell him that I’m in love with you?” I kiss her lips gently. “That I am in love with your light and your dark?” I kiss her again and whisper, “Yes. And I’ll wear every single mark he put on my face proudly because it means we’re finally free.”
“I—”
“No.”
“But—”
“Stop talking.” I kiss her again, deeper this time.
She pulls her lips away as best she can having been pinned to the wall like a beautiful, naked, butterfly. “He hit you because you love me.”
“He hit me because he knows he’s lost you and I was the closest target.” I kiss her again, deep and all-consuming. “I love you, Kitten.” I slip my free hand between her legs and groan when I find her pliant and needy. “I think you like it when I tell you I love you.”
She bites her lip against a moan.
I dip lower and take her nipple into my mouth, warm and wet from the shower. How could it be that one woman could be made so perfectly just for me? If she is my reward for the first eighteen years of my life that I lived in hell—beaten, bruised, and scared—I’d live it all over again in a heartbeat for a chance to be with her.
“Theodore,” she says breathlessly, her hips rolling in time with my hand, her thighs quaking around my wrist.
“Hmmm?” I switch to her neglected breast.
“I love you too.”
I pull back and release her hands only to have her drop and lock them behind my neck. “You don’t have to say it if—”
“I mean it.” Her eyes glisten but she doesn’t hide it. She boldly stares at me when she says again, “I love you.”
“Fuck.” I crush her against the wall, hook her leg over my hip and bring us so close that I almost slip inside her. “I need inside you.” The words are a desperate plea raked over gravel and broken glass.
“It’s okay,” she breathes against my ear. “I’m on birth control.”
A zap of carnal urgency fires my blood. “I’ve never not used a condom.” Not once would I enter a woman without being covered, and the anticipation of Emery being my first makes me feel like a virgin all over again.
“I haven’t either.”
Steam billows around us, our bodies hot in every way. I hook her other leg and she locks her ankles at my lower back. Slowly, I lower her over me, watching her face for any sign of discomfort. She shows none. My head practically explodes when I bottom out, feeling the burning, tight heat of her wrapped around me without a barrier in between.
“I fucking love you.” I kiss her lips, jaw, and neck. “I’m keeping you, Kitten. I’m keeping you forever.”
We make love slowly and thoroughly, our bodies consummating the confessions we’ve made to each other.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before we’re both panting and boneless. I lower her back on unsteady feet and we wash up in comfortable silence. Carey and Rowan trade places with us in the bathroom that we meticulously cleaned first.
I snag one of my clean BSU Football t-shirts and slip it over Emery’s head, then stand back and admire her in my tee. It’s ten sizes to big, but it satisfies the territorial beast inside me to see her in
