Page 74 of The Healing Touch

He’d prayed to God for the first time in forever, promising anything and everything if only she’d be okay. When the doctors told him she was going to be fine, he’d sat in the chapel for a long time, thanking God and trying to come to terms with his feelings.

His dad had been right about one thing. The thought of life without Becca was too much; it had brought him to his knees. He knew the love he had for her was the forever kind of love that he wrote about in his books. He was a manwhore, and unless he’d experienced love, he couldn’t convince readers of the love story between his characters. That love stemmed from the woman in his arms. He’d loved her all this time and had been too stupid to realize it.

“Dimitri?”

“Hmm?” He absently stroked her arm as he tried to find the words to tell her how much he loved her.

“Do you think people can be terrible because of their family? Bad genes?”

“What do you mean?”

“My dad loved fighting. He liked to hurt people. When I was in there, all I could think about was hurting her. I wasn’t Becca anymore, I was his daughter, and I flipped a switch. I hurt her, D. I even invoked his name, and it felt good. I don’t want to be like my dad. I can’t be like him.”

“You’re not like him, baby. You defended yourself using what you learned from your brother, your dad, and anyone else who taught you to fight. You saved yourself today. You weren’t a victim. You were a fighter, a survivor. Self-defense doesn’t turn you into your dad.”

“I hope so.”

“I know so,Krasivaya.” He kissed her softly on the temple, careful of the bandage covering the wound. “I learned something today too.”

“What’s that?” She yawned.

“That I love you.”

“I know you love me, D.”

“No, sweetheart, I mean I’min lovewith you and probably have been since high school.” She went still in his arms, and he continued. “I didn’t realize it until I saw you lying there hurt, and there was nothing I wouldn’t have done to make you whole again. I had a come-to-Jesus moment, as you call it. He and I talked while the doctors checked you out, and I promised to do right by you. I’m going to marry you, Rebecca Joyce Rhodes.”

“You might have had a come-to-Jesus moment, but that doesn’t mean I have. You can’t marry me.”

“I beg to differ. I’m going to marry you.”

“Dimitri, you only just realized you had feelings for me. It’s too soon to talk about long term. We need to get to know each other, to…”

“I call bullshit.” He leaned down and lightly kissed her. “We do know each other better than most people who get married do. Nikoli only knew Lily a few months before he proposed. Same with Kade. My dad knew in a week Mama was the woman for him. You and I have known each other for years. I know your quirks, and you know mine.”

“It’s too soon.” She shook her head, the stubborn, mulish look creeping into her expression.

“Do you love me?”

“Yes, D. You know I love you. You ran when you realized it, remember?”

“I know I screwed up, but when don’t I screw things up? I’m not asking you to marry me tomorrow, just before the year is out. Is that enough time for you to wrap your head around this?”

“You make it sound like I don’t have a choice.”

“You don’t.” He nipped her ear. “I told you I like control, and in this, I’m not giving you a choice. I love you, you love me, and we are going to have our happily ever after, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming into it.”

She laughed. “Bossy man.”

“Yes, but I am your man.”

“And if I don’t want you?”

“I think I can convince you otherwise.” He gave her a devilish grin.

“But not tonight.” She smiled shyly up at him. “I don’t think I have it in me to resist. Besides, you promised no sex for two weeks, remember?”

Fuck. She was back to that shit? He was about to argue when she turned, and he caught the deep bruising around her neck. He kicked himself and his dick. She was in pain and didn’t need him trying to seduce her or get her to agree to marry him with sexual warfare.

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