Page 67 of Healed Hearts

That surprises me. “I guess I assumed Roman worked in medicine too.”

“Nope,” he says, “Hell, I wouldn’t even be working in medicine if not for him. He paid for my nursing school.”

His eyes go wide as he realizes he just cussed in front of Wren. He drops his gaze to her, but she’s lost in her own world, playing. “I’m sorry,” he says when he looks back at me.

I laugh. I can’t help it. He’s too damn adorable. “Wanna know a secret?” I ask.

He nods, eyes still wide as he stares at me. “It’s not the first time she’s heard that word. She’ll be okay.”

“Still, I need to watch my mouth.”

I shrug. I have bigger fish to fry than cuss words. “Are you ready to head out for dinner?” I ask, not willing to let him dwell on it. “We can talk more about all this later if you’d like. Or we don’t have to talk at all,” I add, staring at him pointedly.

He chuckles, reaching up to cover Wren’s ears with his hands. There’s not a single chance she has any idea what that means, but his concern is adorable. He does nod, though, so I’ll take the win.

“Alright, then,” I say, patting my thighs before standing up. “Baby girl, you ready to go see Mamaw and Poppy?”

She jumps off Holden’s lap with an excited nod, taking off without so much as a backward glance at either of us. Holden scoffs as he watches her clear the bedroom door. “She could at least pretend a little that she doesn’t want to go.”

“You’re preaching to the choir. How do you think I feel when all I hear is Holden, Holden, Holden all day, every day? It’s bad enough missing you on my own, but then she has to bring you up every twelve seconds.”

He shrugs. “I’m surprisingly okay withthat, actually.” The mischievous glint in his eyes, and the pleased tilt of his lips are almost too much, so I reach down to help him up and then kiss the smug look right off his face.

The second we step through the front door at home, Holden is on me—standing on his tiptoes, pressing his lips to mine. His hands come up to grip my shirt in my favorite way, making me smile into the kiss.

“This is ridiculous,” he mumbles. “Why you gotta be so tall?”

I chuckle. “My bad, darlin’. What can I do to help?”

He drops back down on his feet and looks up at me, hands on his hips. The green fire of his eyes should not be turning me on, and neither should that indignant glare he’s giving me, but it really so is. I reach down to adjust myself in my jeans, and his eyes follow the movement.

“Are you glaring at me because I’m tall, darlin’?” I ask, trying and failing not to laugh.

“No, I’m glaring at you because you always seem so keen to pick me up and pack me around, except for the one time I actually need you to.”

“My apologies,” I say, infusing as much sincerity into my words as I can. He rolls his eyes, letting out a little irritated huff. I swoop in and lift him from the ground, flinging him over my shoulder. He gasps in surprise, but his laughter rings out through the room right after.

“Again, not what I meant,” he says, still laughing.

“Yeah, yeah. And again, you weren’t specific.”

After carrying him into my room, I drop him on the bed. The smile on his face is too damn good. I love seeing him look so happy. Something flashes across his face, his smile dropping. My heart sinks right along with it. “What’s wrong?”

“Were you serious before? About, um, me topping you?”

My cock jerks at his words, my stomach flipping in excitement.

“Oh yes, I so was.”

His throat bobs with a heavy swallow. “Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”

I nod. “I’m positive. It’s all about communication. If you do something that hurts or that I don’t like, I’ll tell you.”

He’s silent for a moment—searching my face. Finally, he nods. “If you’re sure. I… I want to try.”

Oh, fuck yes. I keep my face neutral. I don’t want him to feel pressured or like I’ll be disappointed if this doesn’t work out. But just the fact that he’s willing to try? That he’s willing to allow himself the opportunity to approach something that could be potentially triggering? And that he’s willing to do it with me? Yeah, that feels really good. Better than any sex ever could.

“You promise you’ll stop me if I hurt you?”

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