Page 149 of First Chance

“Come here, darlin’.”

“How badly did the fire spread?”

“It burned through about two acres before they contained it.”

“And, the bears?”

“All accounted for. The guys got a temporary fence put back in so they can’t escape.”

“The guesthouse?”

“Nearly cooked down to the foundation.”

“I’m sorry, Lochlan. What a disaster.” She cuddles gently into my side.

“It could’ve been worse. We’ll manage.”

“If there is anything I can do to help…”

“This right here is what I need.” I kiss the top of her head.

“Just that?” She asks, tipping her head up to kiss my jaw.

My mouth finds hers, and I kiss her slowly, gently, letting the warmth of her body heal me more than the whiskey evercould.

“Do you think you will feel better in a couple of days?”

“Hopefully. Why?”

“Because I know what I want for my birthday.”

“What’s that?”

“You.”

“You already have me, darlin’. I’m hooked around your little finger.” I lean back against my pillow and close my eyes.

“I want you to make love to me, Lochlan.”

My eyes ping open, but I can’t respond.

“Don’t tell me no.”

I still don’t speak because no part of me wants to tell her no. Not anymore, not after everything that happened last night.

“I know you were hesitant before because you were trying to protect me, but there is no one I feel safer with. And, maybe you still think I’m young and naive, but I know what I want. I want my first time to be with a man who loves me. A man that I’m in love with, too.”

My whole body jerks off the mattress as I pin her underneath me. “Ow, fuck.” I grumble as the pain eases. “Don’t play games with me, Jo. Don’t tell me what you think I want to hear.”

She smiles at my urgency. “I’m not playing any games. I know you want me to leave this place after my birthday, but I don’t want to go without loving you completely. There was the briefest moment when Jerry was dragging me into the woods that I thought… That I thought he might…” Her bottom lip trembles.

“Fuck, baby. I’m so sorry I let that happen.” I kissher lip, soothing it.

She shakes her head. “Life is too short. Bad stuff happens too often, and I want to live without regrets.”

“You think one of those regrets might be me?”

“If I don’t spend every last minute showing you how important you are to me, then yes. I’d regret that for the rest of my life.”

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