Page 94 of Noah

I lowered the rail, brushed my fingers through his curls, and with gentle fingers, touched the purple bruising that would keep one of his eyes closed for some time.

"You're the most incredible, kind, and caring man I've ever met. And your mom is right. You have a big, beautiful heart that I hope feels for me the same way mine feels for you."

I lowered my forehead to his chest. "Brody, I love you so much."

Brody shifted slightly. "I love you too."

My head snapped up, revealing me grinning like a maniac.

"You're awake!"

"Shh." Brody chuckled softly. "My head hurts."

"Oh, God." I touched his head. "I'm sorry. Got a little excited."

Brody's cracked lips smiled at me. "I was heading to the pub to tell you I love you too."

I stroked his chin. "Wish you'd phoned me instead."

Brody peered around the room. "Instead, I ended up here, huh."

"You were involved in a bad accident."

A frown settled on Brody's face. "I don't remember much beyond the pain. And flashing lights. Then faces looking down at me. Gets blurry after that."

"Not something you likely want to remember."

"True." Brody angled his hips and then sank back against the mattress. "Fuck." He groaned, shut his one good eye, and squeezed my hand. "I feel busted up."

"Good news is you have one good arm and leg and twenty-one intact ribs."

Brody huffed out a laugh then regretted it, swearing about his pain level. I placed a button connected to a machine in his hand. "Pretty sure you push this button to get the good stuff."

Brody pumped on the button until I'm certain it wasn't dispensing any more morphine. However much he had received by the repeated attempt—knocked him out.

A man in colourful rainbow scrubs came into the room.

"My name is Jonathan. I'm Brody's nurse for this evening."

I touched my chest. "Noah. His fiancé." Not sure why I used that term again. Maybe I liked the sound of it. "I'm going to be staying here tonight."

Jonathan walked toward the couch. "Let me help you fold out this bed. Then I'll get you some sheets and blankets. A couple of pillows."

A few flips of the cushions and the couch became a twin bed. Jonathan bustled out of the room and returned with the bedding. He set it down on the bed at one end and left us.

I must have nodded off with my head on Brody's thigh because I awoke to him carding his fingers through my hair. I looked up at him and smiled. From this angle, I could see how bruised and swollen his face was. "You won't be winning any beauty contests for a while, I'm afraid. "

The lashes of his good eye fluttered at me. "You'll still love me."

"For as long as you'll have me."

Brody touched my cheek then brushed his fingers across my lips.

"You're mine."

My heart stuttered in my chest, nearly faltering from ecstasy.

I was his. I'd always be his.

---