Page 34 of Quiet Confessions: Part Two

Twisting, I grunt as I move so that I can hold her in my arms. “I realized that I’m an idiot,” is the first thing I say.

“Because I love you?” she giggles in disbelief.

“What? No,” I sputter. “I have had the most perfect woman for me in the world in front of me for years, and I kept pushing you away. It wasn’t because I knew you were still in love with Cal and Nate and always would be.”

“Cal hated me and was quite vocal about it,” she counters.

“You know that was all because of Nixen,” I remind her. “I want you. I don’t care if I have to share you with the others. You’re my girl and I’m done hiding. I want to keep you safe from the bullshit of Richard, but we can’t live in a bubble. I love you.”

Patience gives me this big smile, and for the first time there’s no snark or brat vibes. It’s just Pay.

“For the record, I’m recording this in my head, and I fully intend to hold this over your head until the end of time,” she says.

“There’s my brat,” I chuckle. “Clothes off, I’m washing your hair.”

“Really?” she asks, surprised. I’ve never offered to before, but her wrists are all cut to shit. I want to take care of her.

“Yeah, baby. Strip for me,” I tell her, wiggling my eyebrows as I begin to take off my suit. Her clothes are pulled off, dropped on the ground wherever they land. Turning on the water, I enjoy the view, my eyes heating because she’s gorgeous.

Stepping into the shower with Pay, I grab the shampoo and get to work. As I take care of her, I kiss her neck, wash her hair, and work the conditioner carefully into the ends.

Patience is leaning heavily against me and she yawns as I finish up. “I’m going to have to wake you up a few times tonight,” I tell her apologetically. I’m worried that she has a concussion.

“Can you do it with your head between my legs?” she snarks, a huge, sleepy smile stretching across her lips.

Turning off the water, I lift her into my arms with a smile. Drying her off, I lay her in my bed so I can disinfect her wounds. I’m calling the doctor tomorrow to give both her and Rooke check-ups. I would have dragged his ass in here tonight, but they’re both exhausted.

Helping her into one of my t-shirts, I watch her roll herself in my blankets like a burrito and pass out. I haven’t gotten dressed yet, so I throw on a gray pair of sweatpants when someone knocks on my bedroom door.

Glancing at my burrito girlfriend, I snort in amusement. Some things really never do change. Patience James is one of the most adorable, oddest women that I’ve ever met. I will never look at another woman, because no one else compares.

Another knock pulls me from my thoughts, and I open the door. Rooke stands there in low slung joggers, biting his lip with nerves.

“Hey, what’s up? Did you need Pay?” I ask, moving aside so that he can see her.

“Is she a burrito?” he asks in surprise, leaning against the door frame. “It’s so odd not being around her after everything. My every waking thought was about her.”

“You protected her so well,” I praise him before I realize it. Rooke looks at me in surprise and I shrug. “Go with it. I don’t trust many people with her, but I can tell she’s safe with you.”

“I want to be a safe space for her,” Rooke murmurs. “Cal wants me to sleep in his room, and it physically hurts not to be with her.”

Cal will need to get over his petty jealousies. “You’re an adult who just went through some shit. My door will be unlocked if you need to sleep in here. My bed is huge, and I’ll wake up sleeping beauty every few hours to make sure she’s not concussed,” I shrug.

“She’s gonna hate that,” he chuckles.

“The brat asked that I wake her from her slumber with my face between her legs,” I whisper conspiratorially.

Snorting, Rooke throws himself into a coughing fit because he’s choking on air. “Oh my God,” he coughs, making me grin as I grab him a glass of water from the bedside table.

“Rooke, two seconds out of my presence and already dying,” Cal jokes. He looks concerned, so I give him an apologetic look.

“Pay isn’t happy about my waking her up regularly to make sure she doesn’t have a concussion, so she demanded orgasms for her sacrifice,” I explain.

Cal smirks, patting Rooke on the back.

“Sounds about right. She really loves her sleep,” he says.

Rooke gets control of his coughing and smiles. “Will you let me know if she needs anything?” he asks.

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