Page 169 of Renard's Deliverance

Thank fuck.

“Made me wait for that, Gem. That doesn’t make me happy. Gonna have to spank you for that later.”

She buried her face into his chest, taking in his gingerbread scent. “You do that.”

“If you can’t handle the spankings anymore, you’ll tell me.”

Opal stiffened. “Just because I had a moment doesn’t mean that I want to change the way I live my life. We live our life.”

“Just telling you that you can change your mind.”

“I haven’t changed. I’m still me. And I still have needs that most people won’t get with my past. But I know that you get it and you can give me what I have to have.”

“Yeah, I understand those needs, baby.”

“I love you, Renard. And I couldn’t ever imagine living without you.”

“Good thing you don’t have to.”

“I really could use that tissue, though,” she said, sniffing.

“Here. Blow.” He held his sleeve up to her nose.

“I am not blowing my nose on your shirt, Renard!”

“Why not?”

“Because that’s gross.”

“Do I love you?” he said, confusing her.

“Apparently.”

“No apparently about it. The answer is yes,” he informed her. “I love you and you can blow your damn nose on my shirt.”

“You love me so you love my snot?” she questioned.

“Yep. That’s exactly it.”

“That’s one of the weirdest things I’ve ever heard.”

“Blow, baby.”

She muttered something to herself and shook her head. So he slid her forward so he could pull off his shirt and then he held it to her nose. “Blow.”

“Fucking crazy man.” But she blew her nose and for some ridiculous reason he was pleased.

As though he had done something to take care of her. He settled her back. “Glad I’m getting all of you now, baby.”

“Are you sure? You hate tears.”

“I was an idiot.”

“You . . . you what?”

“I was the world’s biggest fucking idiot for telling you that I hate tears . . . that I didn’t want you to cry. What I should have said is that when you cry, I want you to find me. Lean on me. Tell me what is going on so I can fucking fix it.”

“There’s no fixing me, though.”

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