Page 32 of Promised Vows

Smiling, I sat up enough to grab the edge of the covers and pulled them over us. “Yeah, you did, just not with your mouth.”

“I forced you to stay here.”

Leaning in, I brushed my fingers through his wet hair. “I think you had your reasons, and I’m sorry for saying hurtful things to you.” When he woke up, I’d have that ring on my finger too. It’d take King Kong to remove it ever again.

It was like I'd given him permission to relax. The deep furrow between his brows smoothed out, the tight lines around his eyes softening. The stiff set of his shoulders relaxed, his body sinking deeper into the mattress. Even his breathing changed, becoming slower and more even. “So, we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good.” I punctuated it by touching my lips to his forehead. “We’re great.”

That was the last thing he heard. When I pulled back, his chest was rising and falling evenly. I smiled as I swept my gaze over his gorgeous face.

As I watched him sleep, I reflected on the past few days. My anger had faded, replaced by a growing understanding of the complex man beside me. He wasn't perfect—far from it. But there was so much more to him than I'd initially thought. His strength, his vulnerability in letting me care for him, even the way his home reflected a warmth I hadn't expected—all of it was becoming dear to me in ways I hadn't expected.

I thought about how he held me without question when I was upset, how he wanted me to see him as redeemable. The memory of his anguished eyes when I'd lashed out at him tugged at my heart. Maybe we'd both been too quick to judge, too stubborn to see past our own defenses.

My fingers itched to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead, but I didn't want to risk waking him. Instead, I lay there, taking in every detail of his face, feeling a warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with the blankets covering us.

I was falling in love with him.

It terrified me. I’d lost people I cared about so many times. If I lost him, I’d never recover.

Chapter Fourteen

ARI

I pried my eyes open and blinked. My head throbbed. I didn’t need a mirror to know I looked as bad as I felt.

“Hey.” Anna’s face came into view as my vision slowly cleared. Talk about waking up and wondering if I was in heaven. Those eyes. Her sweet lips and that blonde hair. She was an angel if there ever was one.

“Hi,” I croaked out. “You stayed.”

Her fingers ghosted over my cheek. “I couldn’t leave.” Our gazes locked and all I could see was concern. “I was too worried.”

“I’m sorry I worried you.” I took too deep of a breath and groaned. “How long have I been out?”

“You’ve been in and out for about three days.” Her eyes roamed over my face. “Are you thirsty or hungry?”

At the mention of it, I realized my mouth was dry. I didn’t even get the request for water out before my stomach growled. “Yes?” I gave a tiny laugh. “I need a bathroom break too.”

By the time I rolled to my side, facing the edge of the bed, my ribs ached to the point they nearly left me breathless. As I tried to push myself up, Anna appeared in front of me and wrapped her arms around my chest, under my armpits. I was grateful for the assistance. With a little more help, I was on my feet. Wobbly, but standing. I was counting it a win.

“Can you make it by yourself?” she asked as she dropped her arms to her sides.

Nodding, I took a half step. “Yeah, I can manage.”

“Okay. Does chicken noodle soup sound okay?”

“It sounds delicious.” I shot her a smile, or the best smile I could because my face was swollen.

“All right.” She crossed the room to the door and appeared to hesitate a moment before leaving, likely making sure I didn’t fall over.

By the time I was finished in the bathroom, Anna had returned, carrying a tray with a bowl of steaming soup and a glass of ice water. I honestly couldn’t decide which I wanted more.

Using the nightstand, I slowly lowered myself onto the bed and then maneuvered myself until I was sitting upright, cushioned by a half dozen pillows Anna had wedged between my back and the headboard.

Once I had a long drink of water, Anna lifted a spoonful of the broth to my lips. The flavor exploded in my mouth as the liquid covered my tongue. The broth was balanced well—both light and rich. The vegetables were braised to perfection.

“That’s fantastic. Where did you get it?”

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