Page 25 of Healing Love

Brielle nods, her shoulders dropping. I can see the shame she carries with her. I want to take it away, but I know this kind of pain only starts to heal once it’s talked about out in the open. My sunshine taught me that.

“Yeah. I… sort of caused my parents’ divorce.”

“That’s not likely,” I reply, though I don’t want to sound dismissive.

“You’re right, I’ve just heard it so many times. Six years ago, I caught my dad cheating on my mom. I know, I’m the unluckiest person in the world for having now either walked in on or heard her parents having sex with other people.” She rolls her eyes, the hint of a sarcastic smile pulling at her lips. While I hate the story she’s telling, I’m glad to see a little bit of her light coming back into her soul.

“So, how is that your fault?” I ask.

“In my mother’s logic, she says if I never caught my dad cheating, they could still be blissfully married.”

“Are you serious? That’s absurd. You know that’s not true, right?”

“I… yes. On some level. She told me over and over that if I would have just kept that secret to myself, none of this would have happened. Since she knew about it, however, she had no choice but to kick him out. Either way, her social drinking turned into self-medication, which led to drinking earlier and earlier in the day, and eventually, I don’t think I ever saw my mom without a drink in her hand.”

Brielle sinks into me, drawing from my strength. It’s all for her.

“I know it will take time to unlearn all the lies and twisted thought patterns your mother taught you, but I’ll be right here to remind you every day how brave and strong you are for breaking the cycle.”

My girl nods, resting her forehead on mine. We share the same breath, this moment precious and sacred. “You’re too good to me,” she whispers.

“We’re good to each other,” I say, reminding her of what she told me not too long ago.

Brielle nuzzles into the side of my neck, then kisses me there. Her hands trail up my chest, and then she weaves her fingers in my beard, tugging me down for a real kiss.

“I need you,” she whispers against my lips.

"I don't want to hurt you after everything you've been through today. Are you hurt?" She shakes her head, no, but I still have my reservations. "Let's take a shower together. The warm water will feel good."

She narrows her eyes at me but then gets a devious look on her face. "You may think you're distracting me, but the joke's on you because I've always wanted to have shower sex."

“Fuck, that’s not even fair,” I groan. “When did you get such a dirty mouth on you?”

I don’t give her a chance to respond, however, before tugging my beautiful, sexy, strong woman toward the bathroom. She giggles and I grin at her, loving the sound of her laughter. She’s incredible. Brielle is smiling, even after everything that happened to her today, and her whole life, really.

Again, I'm struck by how wrong my first impression was of her. All I saw was the outside veneer, and assumed she had it easy. Instead, my girl is stronger than anyone I've ever met. She endured things no one should ever have to, and yet she woke up every day with the goal of healing others and bringing light into their lives.

I turn on the water, test the temperature, and then strip down. Brielle is already naked by the time I turn around, and I can't stop the hungry growl escaping my throat.

We step inside the shower, and I watch as the warm water trickles down over her flawless skin and supple curves. My hands follow the droplets of water over her shoulders, her waist, and her hips. I grab ahold of her perky ass and pull her toward me, kissing her soundly. She lifts one leg over my hip and I hold it firmly in my grip, groaning at the way she's opening herself up to me.

“Brielle…” I groan into the side of her neck as I kiss my way down her slender column. She thrusts her hips and rubs her hot pussy against my rock fucking hard cock.

“Please?” she whimpers. “I need to feel you. I need…”

I pull back slightly so I can rest my forehead on hers. “What do you need, sunshine?”

“I need to feel that connection again. It was everything. Wasn’t it?”

“Damn right it was, Brielle,” I say before kissing away all of her doubts and insecurities. My hands roam over her body, stroking, squeezing, savoring every inch.

Finally, I break our kiss and spin her around so she’s facing the back wall of the shower. Brielle takes the hint and braces herself on the wall, sticking her ass out, presenting herself to me in an act of complete trust.

“I’ll never get used to how gorgeous you are,” I mummer before kissing her between her shoulder blades and ghosting my lips and nose down her spine.

Reaching between her legs, I dip two fingers inside her wet slit to check her readiness. Goddamn, my girl wasn't kidding; she needs this.

“Ready for me to fill you up again?” I ask while lazily pumping my fingers in and out of her soaking wet hole.

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