Page 36 of Stevie
I look at the closed door in stunned silence. He’s in love with me, and that realization isn’t scaring me like it did in the past. In fact, I can feel the warmth spreading over my body, wrapping me in calm serenity, and I nuzzle into the pillow.
He loves me.
* * *
Brooks taps lightly on the opened door before walking in with a to-go cup in his hands.When had he left?I remember him bringing me my pills, but I passed out shortly after. Fuck, I am starting to hurt and feel stiff now.
“Hey, Peaches,” he looks and sounds exhausted. I give him a small smile that I don’t really feel as he sits on the edge of his bed. “Here,” he hands me the cup and the straw. My fake smile immediately becomes genuine because he got me boba tea.
“How did you know I like this?” I ask softly while trying to sit up.
“When you were working the night shift at Hel’s, you and Indy debated the best-flavored boba tea, and you said you would die before saying there is a better one than Lychee. I had one, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know what the deal is.” He chuckles, but I’m in absolute shock.
“Y-you remember that?” Hell, I barely remember that argument. I certainly couldn’t tell you what flavor Indy said.
“Yeah, I think that was your first night back after you had a cold. I remember you kept having these sneezing fits. You had on a really cute outfit. White shirt, black trousers, these glittery green suspenders, and a black hat with your hair curled under it.”
“How on earth do you remember that? I don’t even remember that.” Brooks shrugs as he slips his shoes off.
“I remember important things.” He states as if it’s the simplest answer.
“And what about that night was so important?”
“You,” he says with zero hesitation. His eyes lock with mine, and I can’t move or breathe.
“Me?” I whisper back, unable to look away. Brooks nods slowly.
“Peaches, one day you will realize that I’m not kidding when I say you are important to me.”
“Brooks,” he sits on the edge of the bed and moves a stray lock of hair out of my face.
“Why do you keep your hair short?” I blink as I try to catch up to his question before giving him a tired sigh and trying to move to get comfortable.
“Vincent used to wrap my hair around his hand and pull me by it,” I say, keeping my tone as even-keeled as possible. “It was his way of making me… submit. I don’t know. During our last encounter at the shop, he tried to force himself on me and had my hair in his fist. I couldn’t escape. I saw some scissors and ripped and cut myself free. I guess I’ve been apprehensive to grow my hair back out since then.” I look up at the deep scowl on his face and give him a small smile. “Brooks, it’s–
“No, it’s not.” He cuts me off. “Don’t say it’s fine. Don’t brush off what has happened to you.”
“Sweetheart, if you expect me to have some breakdown moment where I collapse into your arms weeping over some asshole, you’ll be disappointed. I’m afraid of him, but I ain’t opening up the past and crying about it again.” I note the small uptick on his lips and raise a brow. “What?”
“Call me that again,” he purrs, and fuck that hit me somewhere it shouldn’t.
“C-call you what?” He leans over me, his lips so close to mine that I can almost feel them.
“Say it.” His order is barely above a hushed whisper, causing my eyes to flutter as they meet his.
“Sweetheart,” I say on a breath right before his lips crash to mine. I moan into his mouth, and he greedily consumes it before nibbling on my bottom lip to gain access to my mouth. I’m about to give him what he craves, but I move too fast. “Ow! Shit!” I cry out at the jolt of pain in my abdomen.
“Fuck,” he curses as he bolts up and removes my blanket. “I’m so sorry, fuck do I need to take you to the hospital?” He goes to lift my shirt, and I stop him. I know he’s seen the wounds when he took me out of the shower, but in my head, he was too busy to look at them. I’m generally not self-conscious about my looks. I like my full figure. But with this new body, I’m not ready to like her just yet.
“I’m alright,” I say, pulling the blanket back up. “Just got too eager, I think.” I give him a small laugh as he sits back down.
“Yeah, we should probably refrain from the eagerness for a little while.” He smiles shyly, and fuck if it doesn’t make my heart flutter. “Well, you should get some rest, so how about I read you a story until you fall asleep?” Furrowing my brows, I’m about to ask him what he’s talking about when I see him grab my paperback ofScorpion’s Sirenoff my nightstand.
“Are you serious?” I ask, a lump forming in my throat.
“Hey, you said that Aror would’ve read to Kimmy. I’m not about to be upstaged by a two dicked scorpion man.” He chuckles as he starts reading the first page. I can’t comprehend it, though. How could I? With his intimidating size, massive muscles, commanding voice, and sharp angles, this man is sitting on the edge of the bed, reading me monster smut because he loves me. As I watch him in fascination as he makes voices, comments on different parts he reads, and even blushes, I realize that I may have fully broken my rules and fallen in love with Brooks, too.
* * *
