Page 14 of Rescuing Tobias

“Not asking for anything more than tonight. One night where I get to be in control, where I get to decide what happens to me, who touches me, and how. One night where I get to forget the hell I’ve lived through and lose myself in sensations, in pleasure. One night to try to be the old me, to remember that woman still exists, and I can find her again. Nothing more, I'm not asking for promises of commitments or strings. Just you, just me, just us, just tonight.”

Honestly, Isabella wasn't sure she had it in her to worry about anything other than tonight. Her life had been turned upside down, and she didn't know how she was going to reclaim it. No longer knew what she wanted going forward, or even who she was now.

But she knew she’d find a way.

It might take her a long time, but somehow, she’d find a new path and she’d find a way to walk along it. The fog would clear eventually, and then she’d be able to see again, and the world wouldn't feel so confusing anymore.

“Are you sure? With everything you’ve been through, I don’t want to do anything that will trigger you.”

“Pretty sure I can speak up if anything you do triggers bad memories,” she sassed, leaning in until there were mere millimeters between them.

“Smart alec. If we do this, you're mine for the night. I get to touch every inch of this gorgeous body, rewrite your bad memories with good ones, make you come over and over again until you can't think or move. I get to worship you and remind you how strong and beautiful you are, inside and out.”

Delightful shivers rocketed through her, and she rocked her hips against his erection. That sounded like everything she needed right now. “Let the fun begin.”

CHAPTER 5

March 15th

12:22 A.M.

As soon asthe words were out of Isabella's mouth, his control snapped.

Watching her walk around his living room wearing nothing but an old T-shirt of his had Tobias so hard it hurt. He’d never gotten that kind of caveman possessiveness about seeing a woman in his clothes. Not until now anyway.

Not with anyone other than Isabella Baker.

Before his accident, he’d always approached relationships with the possibility that it could go somewhere. That real love and feelings could develop, and he might find his soulmate, the kind of love his parents had shared.

After his accident, he only allowed himself the occasional physical release with a woman. It never entered his mind that anything would happen because he already knew he was going to become a burden one day, and he wouldn't allow anyone to take that on. Not with knowing firsthand the toll it took on the other person.

Even though they’d just agreed that this was a one-time thing, he could actually see something real developing between him and the woman currently grinding herself against him, each rock of her hips sending little arrows of pleasure buzzing through his system.

If she kept it up, he was going to embarrass himself by coming in his boxers like he was some adolescent instead of a fully grown man who should be able to control himself.

With a growl, he gripped her hips, stilling them, and his sassy girl pouted at him. Actually pouted, and he leaned in and nipped at her bottom lip before pulling back. If he was only getting this one night with her, he had to make the most of it.

“You agreed I'm in charge tonight, firecracker,” he reminded her as he spun around and strode down the hall to his bedroom. Maybe it would be smarter to take her to the spare room, that way his bed wouldn't wind up smelling like her, and he wouldn't remember her every time he walked in there.

Then again, Tobias was pretty sure that he was going to remember this night with crystal clarity regardless. In the last forty-eight hours, Isabella had made an impression on him that would never be erased.

“Hurry up and do something then.” She huffed, trying to wriggle free of his grip. When she couldn’t, she circumvented it and instead just leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

Like everything this woman did, the kiss was fiery and passionate, she threw her whole self into it. He was helpless to do anything but kiss her back, drowning in the kiss, getting lost in it, letting it consume him.

Until he reached the bed at least.

Then he somehow found the strength to break away and toss her onto the mattress. She bounced as she landed, her eyes narrowing, but then he was climbing onto the bed after her,putting a knee on either side of her hips as he leaned in for one more quick kiss.

“This has to go,” he said, grabbing the hem of the T-shirt and pulling it up and over her head in one smooth movement. He tossed it aside, not caring where it landed, because now he had this gorgeous, strong woman spread out before him, and he couldn’t wait to start feasting.

The more he looked at her, the more he wanted to touch and taste her everywhere all at once. His fingertips skimmed all over her body, trailing up and down her sides, across her smooth stomach, along the ridge of each too prominent rib.

It hurt to see her so thin, her body telling the story, not just because she had lost so much weight while she was being held captive, but because there were bruises on top of bruises littering most of her exposed skin. Some were that horrible shade of yellow green that said they were mostly healed, while the fresher ones were still a dark blue black that stood out in contrast to her otherwise pale complexion.

“I'm okay, Tobias,” she said softly, her hands lifting to frame his face, the pads of her fingers smoothing along his temples. “Alive. Because of you. You saved me, now make me feel alive. Please.”

The small glimpse of vulnerability was enough to have him moving. Isabella Baker was one tough woman, and he knew she didn't like to let anyone see her as weak. If she asked him for something he couldn’t not give it to her.

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