Page 88 of When You Saved Me

His hands dove into my hair as I ran my tongue along the edge of his bottom lip. I wanted to taste every single part of him. Not leaving a single stone unturned. When his tongue met mine, I hummed into his mouth. He was so warm and tasted so good.

“I want you, Deacon. Right now.”

Tck, tck, tck.

We both looked behind me and saw Casper’s furry little face peeking out through the blinds next to Deacon’s front door.

“Having me might have to wait a little longer, Sunshine.”

“Casper!” I whirled around to look at Deacon again. Not a single edge of shadows haunted his face. He beamed at me, in all his glory.

“Come on, let’s go see the little rascal.” Deacon led me inside where Casper was meowing louder than I’d ever heard him meow before.

Kneeling to the floor, tears filled my eyes as he hopped into my lap and started giving me head bumps.

“Hi, buddy. I missed you so much!” He sounded like alittle motorboat when I brought him into my arms and snuggled him close.

“We had a pretty good time together,” Deacon said as he knelt beside us. “But there’s nothing quite like having you back home.”

There was that word again.Home.

He said it like I wasn’t supposed to move back into the tiny cabin. He said it like I was meant to be here, in his house with him. Forever.

It made my heart stumble as I looked at him. There were so many things we needed to discuss. But they could all wait. I’d made it back safely and I had both of my boys by my side.

Deacon got a fire going in the hearth. It still amazed me how much I loved sitting by a crackling fireplace after having nearly diedtwiceby fire.

I guessed there was just something different about my brain. Something that allowed me to move on quickly and I was thankful for that because this was exactly where I wanted to be. Snuggled up close to Deacon on the couch with Casper by our feet. The flames cast shadowed light over the dark living room, and it was perfect.

But I was about to ruin it.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” I curled a little closer toDeacon. His gaze shifted from the hearth to me, and he nodded.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I hesitated. Not wanting to disturb the peace we’d found together. But I also knew this was something we needed to talk about so we could leave it behind us.

He looked at me expectantly. I could tell he wanted me to start us off.

“I could hear you. When I was asleep. Not everything came through clearly, but I knew that you were telling me about your fallen brothers. I could…feelyour words like a warm light dancing along my skin.”

Deacon’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he sat up a little straighter. “I’d heard about it once. How talking to people while they’re unconscious can help stimulate their brains. Much like playing music or talking to a baby in the womb. When I saw you in that hospital bed, I knew the only way I could bring you back to me was to let my walls down. I needed to change everything I was before. I needed to be better for you.”

I placed my hand over his and rubbed my thumb along his skin.

“You’re the first person I’ve ever told about them.”

My heart swelled with his admission. This was a huge step for Deacon. I knew that. And somehow, it felt like a step we were always meant to take together. Sharing the darkest parts of ourselves. The worries and fears that gripped us so strongly, we had to pull away for them to let go of us.

“I want you to know that I will always walk by your side,Deacon. No matter what darkness you face, I will be right there with you.”

He brought his forehead to mine. “I know that now. For so long I thought I had to carry the burden by myself. But you’ve shown me that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to let someone in.”

Tears welled in my eyes. I grazed his lips with mine in a feather-light kiss. “I’m so glad you let me in. This”—I placed my hand over his heart—“is where I want to be. Always.”

Reaching up, he placed his hand over mine then threaded his fingers through my hair and pulled me into a kiss that had my entire body tingling. His tongue moved over the seam of my lips. I let him in, relishing in the warmth that flooded my lower stomach.

“You saved me, Charlie,” he whispered.

I looked into those mesmerizing eyes, knowing a lifetime of gazing into them wouldn’t be enough. “We saved each other.”

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