Page 100 of The Hermit

My eyes remain locked on her face as she undoes the belt, and when she takes hold of my cargo pants, I lift my hips so she can drag the fabric down my legs.

With a serious expression etched on her face, she removes my boots and socks, and once she has me naked, I grin at her.

“Don’t even try, mister. You’re in no condition to have sex,” she says, her tone strict.

I let out a chuckle, and feeling like a king, I let her dress me in the clean sweatpants and shirt.

“Now lie down and sleep,” she orders.

I grab her wrist before she rushes off to do something else, and giving my best pout, I say, “I want more attention.”

She sits down by my thigh, making sure to avoid my side, and reaching for my head, she brushes her fingers through my hair.

Grace stills and stares at me for the longest time, then her face crumbles, and she lets out a sob. “I could’ve lost you.”

“Never. It will take more than an army of Russians and missiles to get rid of me.” I lift my hand and use the pad of my thumb to brush a tear from her cheek.

She gives me a cynical look. “As much as you’d like to believe you’re Superman, you’re not. You could’ve died, Dominik.”

My tone is filled with tenderness as I say, “But I didn’t. You’re stuck with me for a little while longer.”

Her face crumbles again, and she whimpers, “I want to be stuck with you forever.”

Wrapping my fingers around the side of her neck, I pull her toward me, but she shakes her head. “You’re injured.”

“Woman, just let me hold you,” I chuckle, yanking her down on me.

I force her to lie half on top of me, then mutter, “Relax.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she complains.

“I’m fine.” I brush some of her blond strands away from her face and over her shoulder. “Relax for me.”

I feel how the tension slowly leaves her and press a kiss to the top of her head. “Dobré dievca.”

We lie in silence for a while, then she whispers, “There was a moment when the guys lifted you off the truck. Seeing you lifeless…” she chokes up and takes a few seconds to suck in a trembling breath. “You’ve become my entire world, Dominik. I love you in a way that would completely destroy me if I lost you.”

Her words soak deep into my soul. Being loved so much by the woman who owns me is a dream come true.

A dream I didn’t know I had.

Yes, Evinka and I love each other, but we’d survive if one of us died.

Now I have someone who would die if she lost me. I’m the most important thing to her.

“Dominik?” she whispers as she lifts her head to look at me.

“I never knew it would feel this incredible to be loved,” I murmur.

She leans down and presses a kiss to my mouth, then says, “I love you, Dominik.” She gives me another kiss. “I love you.” And another kiss. “I love you so much it hurts to be a second away from you.”

Lifting my hand to the side of her head, I take her mouth with mine. My tongue strokes hers hard as I pull her completely on top of me.

I grab her shirt, and we only separate so the fabric can pass between us, then our mouths fuse together again.

This is heaven.

I have a beautiful wife and peace and quiet in the mountains.

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