Page 41 of His Gift
"You shouldn't have gone into battle alone, stubborn woman. And I should be the one who wears these scars."
My breath catches, but Conrad picks up the sponge and cleans me up, then washes my hair, and in no time I'm wrapped in a towel and then naked in bed.
"I'd have taken my time, but you didn't look comfortable. Let me get rid of these clothes." He whips around and vanishes into the bathroom.
thirty-one
Conrad
All of this is getting to me.
I've always lived avoiding doing others harm, but basically I didn't give a flying fuck if something happened to them. With the exception of my squad, maybe, but what I said to Harper a long time ago was true: I did all I could to save them and the sadness was more of a concept—an idea. And I was grateful when everyoneattributed my detachment to shock. It was one of the few times in my life when I had to pretend just to be left alone. Usually, no one gave me much attention.
With her, though, I don't have to pretend. Fuck, it wrenches my gut every time. It wrenches my gut seeing her still struggling, and it wrenched my gut when she squirmed under my fingers in the shower, embarrassment creeping on her cheeks.
And I feel guilty—not so much about not being there, but about not seeing what was going on. About not pushing more to make her talk. And once I found her again… I should have solved her problem with her hip sooner instead of feeling resentful. Who the fuck does that? Kids, that's who. And I haven't been one for a long time.
It's the chaos she's created inside of me: I can't think straight. It's no excuse, but it doesn't make it less true. It doesn't make the compulsion to rip my clothes off and hurry back to her less true.
I have to be careful. Her recovery comes before anything else. But Harper grabbing my tie and pulling me in for a kiss… Damn girl, she has a way of making me lose control.
Leaving everything exactly as messy as it is, and not giving a toss, I slide beside her, and it feels glorious.
"Do you have a thing for coming to bed naked?"
"You're naked too."
"Because you didn't help me wear any clothes. You were just in a hurry to take yours off." And here we go.
"Listen, Harper, I will not pretend we don't have history, or that you don't want me here. I know we have a lot to work out, but…" I've put my hand on her belly and she's blushing like she did in the shower.
"I guess I ate too many tacos." More blushing. More squirming. I draw circles on her belly. No way I'm letting that slide twice.
"I thought I'd be patient for once and let you recover, but I can make it work. I love to touch you, your skin—how soft and perfect under my fingers you are—and I won't have you going into your head every single time. So now, be a very good girl and stay still."
I rip the sheets off and open her legs just enough to have some space. Then I take the first taste of her after so long and lick my lips. Yummy.
"Conrad…"
"Want me to stop, my gift?" She shakes her head and I take another lick. Didn't think so.
Holy shit, she's so soft—becoming more aroused by the moment. And her moans… I could play them on repeat the whole day, every day, for the rest of my life. I'm in no hurry. She's like the finest meal I'll ever have. She deserves to be savored and I need a little comeback.
Her hands are buried in my hair and her grip becomes tighter and tighter. Any moment now.
"Are you doing it on purpose, Conrad?"
"Taking my time, my gift. And yes. Maybe." There's no maybe here. Talking is the last thing on my mind, though. I just want to get high on her.
"Why?"
"Later. Hmmm. Yes, no time to talk." But hell, her muscles are tightening up too much. Can't let her hurt herself. It seems I'll have to delay my revenge. She's so worked up it takes me a few well-placed strokes on her clit to make her climax. And then she relaxes. Good. Can't see any sign of pain on her face. Just bliss—a bliss I'll have to provide to myself when she falls asleep. Fuck. It's already a miracle I didn't come when she did.
"Better?" I slip an arm under her head, ditching the pillow to nuzzle her neck, then put my hand back on her belly. For now, this is as close as I can get.
"So, why?"
"Do you really have to ask? I missed you, I missed providing you pleasure. And I had to work out a little of my frustration at you. But make no mistake, we haven't settled the score by a long shot. You took away the sun from my life when you left, cruel girl."
