Page 75 of The Healing Touch

“Tell you what. Why don’t we get some sleep and continue this conversation when we get back to LA?”

“Sounds like a plan.” She snuggled into him, and he lay there while she fell asleep, thanking God again tonight for the biggest blessing he’d ever been given.

Chapter Nineteen

She slept most of the train ride from Charleston to LA, and for that, Dimitri was grateful. She hadn’t wanted to take the pain pills the hospital had prescribed for her, but the very nasty blow she’d taken to her cheek and eye all but vibrated with pain. Not to mention the stab wound in her leg. She needed the medicine. And the sleep they caused. Her body healed better when she slept. Even the doctor told her that, so Dimitri was having none of her protests.

He’d also tipped the kitchen car well to bring them their meals. His woman wasn’t able to handle the crowded dining car. She was a little embarrassed of how she looked, but she needn’t have been. Those wounds were badges of honor. She’d held her own against crazy and walked away the winner.

Dimitri wished he could settle her fears about inheriting her father’s love of brutality as easily as he could calm her panic. That was, unfortunately, something she’d have to come to terms with herself. He didn’t believe Becca was anything like the man who’d raised her. Or didn’t. From what she’d told him, Dallas Rhodes only paid her any attention when he needed food or his wounds patched up.

Eventually, he hoped she’d realize the difference between a bruiser and survivor. He’d do everything in his power to help her, but most of that was going to be a battle in her own head.

He checked his email and set up his ads for his book release. It was the last book he’d written before his spinal cord injury. Not a single word had been written since. Hell, he didn’t even think he’d done much by way of revisions. Even Becca told him it could be better. He only hoped people would forgive him for one less than stellar release. Part of him wanted to pull it back and apologize, but he knew nothing else would be forthcoming from him. His depression had silenced his words.

“Hey.”

Her sleepy voice interrupted his musings.

“Evening, sleepyhead.”

“What time is it?”

“Around nine p.m. We should be arriving soon. You hungry,Krasivaya?”

“No more train food.” She tried to laugh but winced instead. “We should call Uber or a taxi to have them waiting.”

“Already taken care of. Mason’s meeting us at the station.”

“The flirty one from the phone.”

“The fucker better not flirt with you,” he said darkly.

She laughed, and pain scrunched up her face. “Please don’t make me laugh.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Did you call the others beautiful too?”

Ah, she’d looked up whatKrasivayameant. He knew she’d get around to it eventually.

“I’ve told women they were beautiful, but I never called them that. I reserved that term of endearment only for you.”

“You’d never called me that before, and I wasn’t sure if it was something you used when you were trying to seduce one of your weekly flavors.”

“I never called any of them anything except their names and sometimes not even that. I’m ashamed to say I forgot some of their names, especially the one-night stands.”

He hated the censure in her eyes, but he couldn’t change his past. All he could do was concentrate on their future. And getting her to agree to marry him. Why she was being stubborn about this, he didn’t understand.

They loved each other.

They enjoyed being around each other.

They could have long conversations about silly nonsense or some deep subject.

They were meant to be.

So why the fuck wouldn’t she say yes?

---