Page 123 of Healed Hearts

Holden sniffles. “Yeah, I’ve asked for it too and still didn’t want it.”

My sweet darlin’. “Oh, Hold. No. I’ve already told you, nothing we share could be like that. I always, always want you. I was drowning last night. I didn’t quite understand why, but I knew I needed you. Needed that connection, and you gave it to me. You always give me what I need.”

He pushes his face into my chest. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

I hold him for a few more minutes, until my stomach interrupts us once again. He pushes me away, a glare already etched on his beautiful face. “You need to eat something.”

Making a show of picking up my plate, I start assembling tacos. They smell so good that my mouth is already watering. I don’t even bother warming them up, instead choosing to eat them standing right by the stove.

“I’m just glad you didn’t burn the tacos,” I say, taking a huge bite.

Holden gasps. “You said you didn’t remember that!”

I laugh. Fuck, it feels so good to laugh. “I didn’t. And I still don’t. I remember you telling me about it, though.”

He grumbles something under his breath that I don’t quite catch, but I laugh anyway. I finish eating my tacos, staring at him the whole time. It’s not creepy. He’s just so pretty and I love him so much and I want to stare at his face forever.

I drop my plate back into the sink and sigh. “Come on darlin’. You wouldn’t think I’d be tired, but I’m so damn tired. I want you all sprawled out across me in bed while we talk about how quickly we can get your stuff here.”

Before he has a chance to protest, I sweep him off the counter and into my arms, taking off toward our bedroom. He looks up at me with a smile on his face. “Don’t you want to check on Wren first?”

He’s got a point. “Switching directions.” I turn, but stumble as my legs almost give out on me. Well, that’s not normal.

He pats my chest. “Put me down. I can walk, you know. You’re exhausted. And probably still dehydrated. You can resume your normal carrying me around shit tomorrow.”

Reluctantly, I set him down, following him toward Wren’s bedroom.

He pushes the door open and I peek in at her. “She went down pretty easily,” he says. “Both tonight and last night. Last night, I sang to her. But tonight she was so exhausted from playing with Beck and Ro that she was out damn near the second I got her under the blankets.”

I cross the room and take in her sweet little face. Her braids look adorable. I can manage her curls just fine, but I never could get my fat fingers to do anything close to what Holden’s done. “Her hair looks beautiful. You did a great job with it.” I smile when he thanks me, then I lean in and kiss her forehead. “Daddy loves you, sweet girl. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I usher Holden out of the room and toward ours. I’m so fucking ready to have him all Velcroed to me. When I climb into bed, he climbs in right after me. I smile to myself as he crawls up my body like always, settling his head in the crook of my neck. “Do you still want to move in with me, or did I manage to scare you off?”

He laughs. “No. You didn’t scare me off. Scared me, sure, but not off. Once I figured out what was going on, I felt a lot better.”

I place a hand on his lower back and let the fingers of the other play idly with his hair. “Thank you for being here for me. And for Wren. I know I’ve already said that. She’ll be lucky to have a parent like you in her life. Someone who doesn’t ever hesitate to jump in and take care of things. You’re so good for both of us.”

He’s quiet for a while, but eventually, he lets out a happy sound and rests his hand on my collarbone. “I think I’m the lucky one.”

I think we’re both pretty fucking lucky, to be honest. Closing my eyes, I breathe in his scent. It’s… wrong somehow. “Hey, darlin’?”

“Yeah?”

I take another deep breath. “You don’t smell like you.”

He giggles. “What do you mean?”

“You smell different. Floral.”

“Wren’s bubble bath,” he says with a small laugh.

Well, that makes sense. I hum. Hopefully that smell doesn’t linger. I should have just thrown that bottle away when I realized how bad it smelled.

Holden nuzzles into my throat, his warm nose brushing against my skin. “I told Ro and Beck that I’m moving in with you today while you were napping.”

“How did they take it?” I ask. I think they like me, but I also know that they are both really protective of Holden.

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