Page 27 of Final Vendetta

“You should know by now that I like a little pain.” I dragged my body closer to his, desperate for a taste of the passion and fervor I craved.

“That I do.” His eyes darkened, and he covered my lips with his. But just as I started to deepen the exchange, he pulled away. “This is important to me. I want you to give yourself and your body the time it needs to recover.”

I frowned, swallowing hard through the lump forming in my throat.

Sensing my obvious disappointment, he looped an arm around my waist and dragged me flush against him. He dipped his head into the crook of my neck, his breath hot on my skin.

“Enjoy your rest, Imogene. The second the doctor gives you the all clear to resume regular activity, I plan on making up for lost time to the point that you’ll be walking bowlegged for days.” When he met my gaze, I caught a mischievous glint within. “If you can walk at all.”

I bit my lower lip to fight against the smile begging to be set free. “I like the sound of that.”

“Me, too.” He captured my mouth, his tongue briefly swiping against mine. “Why don’t you go sit on the terrace while I make you some breakfast? After being cooped up in that hospital, I’m sure you could use some fresh air and vitamin D.”

“I definitely could,” I agreed, allowing him to guide me toward the sliding glass doors off the living room.

As he helped me settle into one of the plush lounge chairs, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for this moment of peace. The sun shone brightly down on the ocean waves, causing them to glimmer, everything about my surroundings picturesque.

I’d always loved being near the water, especially once my mom met Lachlan and he taught me to surf. I may not have been all that good at it, but whenever I was out on the water, when it was just me and the ocean, I was able to clear my mind.

Figure out what was important.

“You’ll be back on your board soon enough,” Gideon said, able to read my thoughts. “For now, I hope living mere feet from the ocean is enough.”

“It’s more than enough,” I assured him.

“I’ll be back soon with breakfast.”

He left a gentle kiss on my lips, then disappeared inside.

I relaxed into my lounge chair, basking in the feel of the sun warming my face, drawing in a deep breath of the salty sea air. This was perfect.

As much as I thought it excessive for him to buy a house in Del Mar when he already had a stunning home just down the shore in La Jolla, I now understood his reasoning. This house represented a fresh start, a clean slate for us to build a future together that wasn’t tainted by lies or betrayal. Something we both deserved after everything.

“Here we are.” Gideon’s deep voice pulled my eyes from the water and toward him as he set a tray containing a few plates on the small table between us. “Spinach, mushroom, and feta frittata with bacon. Because someone once told me that bacon makes everything better.” He flashed me a wink.

“Sounds like a pretty smart person.”

“Most definitely.”

I grabbed the fork and sliced into the frittata, bringing it up to my mouth, biting back my moan at the first taste of real food in two weeks.

“I hope you like it. It’s been a few years since I’ve made breakfast for anyone. Or really cooked at all.”

“It’s like riding a bike,” I said through a tight smile, pushing down the reminder of precisely why he hadn’t cooked in so long. “You never really forget. And it’s perfect. Just like I remember.”

A gentle smile crossed his face as he reached for the folded newspaper on the breakfast tray. Opening it to a page toward the back, he set it on the table between us without saying another word.

He didn’t have to.

After all, this was once our morning routine — coffee, breakfast, and a crossword puzzle. They were some of my favorite memories of Samuel.

While I loved the connection I experienced whenever we made love, there was something about the quiet moments spent together as we ruminated over the various clues that felt even more intimate.

Maybe this was what I needed in order to push away my uncertainty. A reminder of what made us…us.

I picked up a piece of bacon and took a bite, leaning close and scanning the first clue.

“Mythical bird reborn from the ashes,” he read.

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