She looked up, her eyes meeting mine. “You scared me a little. Not a lot. But still.”
I leaned my head into my hand and wiped at my eyes. “I’m so sorry. Kitten, please. I needed to feel like a man because I felt so useless on the ball field. I wanted to dominate something, but I didn’t even think about how it would make you feel. I just wanted to make myself feel better. ‘Cause I’m a selfish prick.”
“I just need a little time, okay? I love you and we’ll be fine, but I need us to go slow right now,” she suggested and my dick ached.
“Absolutely. We’ll go at your pace. Whatever you want. I’ll do whatever you want.” I pulled her against me and hugged her tight. She probably couldn’t breathe, but I needed her to be that close to me.
“Thank you. We should probably get out there.” She smiled and I pushed up from the floor before reaching for her.
“I really am sorry,” I whispered against her ear before hugging her again.
“I know. Just talk to me, please. You can’t get like that. I can’t get like that. It doesn’t work for us when we don’t talk.”
“I’ve never dealt with this before,” I admitted and she nodded against my chest.
“I know. But we’ll deal with it together. We’re a team, remember? You told me that. It’s you and me against the world, Carter.”
“For fucking ever,” I said before covering her mouth with mine and pouring all my love for her into that kiss. She moaned and her body relaxed against me. We’d be okay. We just needed a little time.
When we finally left our bedroom, Melissa and Dean were sitting on the couch watching some chick flick. He had his arm around her and she was leaning against him.
“Figures you’d grow a vagina the second I leave you alone,” I teased and Dean breathed out a sigh. “What the hell are you two watching?”
Dean shoved a fist in the air. “My brother’s back!”
“Are you done being an asshole, Asshole?” Melissa chirped in my direction.
“Are you done being a cock tease to my brother, Cock-Tease?” I chirped back.
Cassie’s hand landed hard against my chest. “Jack! Leave them alone.”
“I was planning on it, until you shot me down.” I threw her a glance and flashed a smile in her direction.
“Crash and burn, huh, big brother?” Dean asked.
“I wouldn’t talk if I were you,” I warned.
Cassie cleared her throat. “Enough with the dick measuring. Jeez.”
Melissa turned her head around. “Oh my God, go put a shirt on,” she shouted at my ripped chest. “Wait! Get over here.”
I knew she wanted me.
I sauntered over to where they were lying on the couch and she reached for my pecs. “Hey, keep your hands off the goods, lady,” I teased.
“You wish.” Melissa rolled her eyes and grabbed at my necklace. “She gave you her key?”
I sucked in a breath and pulled the key from her grip. “Yeah. The night I got hurt.”
“Pretty cool,” she said with a smile.
Cassie closed a drawer and yelled out, “Can we order dinner in? I’m starving. Unless you guys wanna go out? I’m sorta spent, to be honest, but I could rally.”
That was my girl, always putting everyone else’s wants and needs above her own. I knew she was exhausted after everything we’d been through, but she’d still go get all dolled up and head out for the night if that was what my brother and her best friend wanted to do.
I shot Dean a look that said I’d fucking kill him if he made her go out. Thank God he could read my mind.
“I’d rather stay in,” Dean called out while holding my gaze. “We can go out tomorrow. Is that okay with you?” He glanced at Melissa.
“I don’t care what we do. I’m comfortable right here.” She leaned her tiny body into his and sighed.
He winked at me, then shouted, “Order in!”
Note to self: Remind Dean to never fucking wink at me again.
It’s Just Sex
The next morning I woke up to Cassie sleeping on my chest. My left arm was pressed against her back, which I figured was a complete waste since I couldn’t feel her skin through my cast.
She’d initiated sex last night and I let her control the pace. I figured she’d make me wait weeks to earn back her trust in the bedroom, but thankfully she wanted it just as badly as I did. After apologizing with my tongue until she came in my mouth, I entered her slowly, making sure nothing I did would remind her of the other night. It didn’t take long for her body to give itself over to me and for her mind to follow. Thank God.
No matter how much hurt and pain we’d caused each other in the past, the fact was that we were in it for the long haul. We trusted each other. Sometimes we lost our way, but we always found our way back. I never wanted that to end. And I never wanted to be the cause of it again. I hated that I scared her. What kind of asshole scares his wife during sex?
I tangled my good fingers through the strands of her long hair, surprised at how soft it always felt. She stirred against me. “Morning, babe,” she said against my chest.
“Morning, Kitten.”
Her head shot up from my chest, leaving it cold and empty. “Oh my God. Do you remember what we heard last night?” She covered her mouth to stop from laughing too loudly.
I had forgotten. “We don’t know what we heard.”