Page 28 of Doc's Decision

But there’s no heat in her words, only fond exasperation.

I lick my lips, staring directly at her. “In all seriousness, though . . . I truly mean this. You’ve been amazing with Kash, and with me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Something flickers in her hazel eyes—something soft and warm that makes my heart stutter in my chest. “I care about you, Doc. Both of you. You’re family now.”

Family.

The word wraps around me like a balm, soothing the ragged edges of my battered soul.

Before I can second guess myself, I set my glass down on the railing and step closer, crowding into her space.

Her breath hitches, her eyes widening as I cup her face in my hands. “What if I want more than that, Mandy? What if I want everything with you?”

I swallow hard, my heart hammering against my ribs as I search her face for any sign of rejection or disgust.

But all I see is surprise . . . and maybe a flicker of hope?

She whispers, her voice barely audible over the distant sounds of laughter and music drifting out from the clubhouse. “Everything?”

I nod, my thumb brushing over the swell of her bottom lip. “Everything,” I confirm roughly. “I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep with you in my arms. I want . . . Fuck, Mandy, I just wantyou.”

She sucks in a shaky breath, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I—I don’t know what to say . . .”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I assure her quickly, suddenly terrified that I’ve pushed too far, too fast. “You can count on me,” I tell her fiercely, squeezing her fingers for emphasis. “I’m not going anywhere, Mandy. I promise.”

She searches my face for a long moment as if trying to gauge my sincerity.

Whatever she sees there must satisfy her because she nods slowly, a tentative smile curving her lips.

“Okay,” she whispers, stepping into the circle of my arms and winding her own around my waist. “I trust you, Doc. With my heart and my life.”

I crush her to me, burying my face in her hair as a wave of fierce possessiveness crashes over me.

This woman is mine now, body and soul, and God help anyone who tries to come between us.

Her gaze drops to my lips and lingers there, the air between us suddenly charged with unspoken longing.

Before I can second guess myself, I tell her we have plans this weekend. “You’re coming out with me on Saturday night. We’ll go hit up a bar, shoot some pool, and have some fun together. Just the two of us.”

She blinks at me for a second, clearly caught off guard.

A bedazzling smile spreads across her face, her eyes sparkling with pleasure and something that looks a hell of a lot like relief.

“Yeah, Doc. I’d like that. I’d like that a whole lot,” she says softly, threading her fingers through mine and squeezing like she never wants to let go.

I tug her closer, slinging my other arm around her shoulders as we turn to head back inside the clubhouse. “All right then, darlin’. It’s a date. Think you can handle keeping up with me?”

Mandy tosses her head back and laughs, the joyous, uninhibited sound arrowing straight to my heart and my groin. “Oh, baby, trust me—it’s you who better worry about keeping up with me. I’m gonna rock your world six ways from Sunday. Just wait.”

I chuckle and press an affectionate kiss to her temple. “Looking forward to every second of it, beautiful. Every damn second.”

For the first time in longer than I can remember, I find myself actually meaning those words.

Actually excited to see what the future might hold, so long as Mandy’s right there by my side to share it with me.

CHAPTER SIX

Mandy

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