Page 46 of What the Doctor Ordered
My arms tightened around Kiley at the thought.
Once we pulled up to my house and I had paid the taxi driver, I kicked the door open and stood up with Kiley in my arms.
“Simon!” she cried out, her cheeks coloring deliciously. “I can walk!”
I ignored her, holding her close and striding up to the house, shifting her slightly in my arms so I could open the front door. I didn’t speak as I kicked the door shut and then approached the leather couch, gently setting Kiley down.
“Simon,” she said once I let her go. She kneeled up on the cushions, looking up at me with wide, panicked eyes. “We should talk about earlier, with me and Theo. I promise you, there isnothinggoing on-”
I silenced her by placing a finger over her lips. I knelt in front of her so that we were eye to eye.
“Theo already explained,” I told her. “Well, first he knocked me on my ass—twice!—and then he explained. And so, I owe you an apology for jumping to such rash and unfair conclusions. Can you forgive me?”
Kiley blinked several times, her eyebrows furrowing. “You don’t have to apologize,” she said. “I know how it must have looked when you found us.”
“That’s no excuse,” I said fiercely. “I should have let you explain but I let my emotions get the better of me. I’ve had issues trusting people in recent years because of my past relationships.”
Kiley was quiet as she digested this. “What happened?” she asked, her voice small.
I sucked in a breath. “Each time I thought a relationship was getting serious, I found out that they were only with me because of my reputation and money. One of them cheated on me, and the other was secretly stealing money from my account without my knowledge.”
Kiley let out a tiny gasp, her eyes rounding. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured, looking down.
I put a finger beneath her chin, lifting those gorgeous green eyes back up to mine. “It doesn’t matter now,” I said. “I know that you would never do that to me. You have been nothing but kind and sweet since we met. I was just dealing with my own issues, and I dragged you into them. I’m sorry, Kiley. I really am.”
“I forgive you, Simon. Of course I do,” she exclaimed. Her eyes brightened, but then she frowned. “To be fair, I dragged my baggage in as well. The guys I’ve been with haven’t been kind, so I think I subconsciously decided to close up my heart to protect myself. But then when I met you…” she trailed off, pink suffusing her pretty face.
I found myself grinning and I stroked her heated skin. “What?” I asked.
“I found myself falling so hard for you. I…I have fallen for you,” she was almost whispering, and she squeezed her eyes shut, as if preparing to be disappointed.
My chest constricted at the sight of her, so petite and vulnerable, and so deserving of everything good. I cupped her face in my big hands, pulling her to mine, and I kissed her. Kiley’s eyes flew open and she inhaled sharply in surprise, giving me access to her mouth. I took advantage and deepened the kiss, pressing my mouth over hers, taking my time as I tasted her and teased her tongue with mine.
When we finally pulled away, we were both slightly out of breath. Kiley was staring up at me with absolute adoration. “I love you, Simon.”
Shock coursed through me and all I could do was kiss her again, pulling her tightly to me, pressing her small body to mine. I vowed right there to never let go.
“I doubt you have a clear understanding of what you’ve done to me in the short time we’ve known each other, Kiley,” I murmured against her mouth, speaking fervently between kisses. “You’ve tilted my world completely off its axis from the moment you arrived. I fought so hard not to trust you, not to fall for you but, I just couldn’t fight it. I don’t want to fight it anymore.”
Kiley made a helpless whimpering sound as she pressed herself against me, seeming to be getting just as lost in me as I was in her. She pulled away suddenly and looked up at me. “Does that mean you love me too?” she asked breathlessly.
I laughed, cupping her cheeks in my hands again, marveling at how good it felt to hold her, to look at her. “Yes,” I said. “I love you, Kiley.” I kissed her forehead. “I love you,” I whispered before pressing my lips to the tip of her nose. “I love you so much,” I said again before taking her mouth once more.
CHAPTER 21
Kiley
“I love you,” Simon murmured before pressing his lips to mine again in a searing kiss.
My heart was hammering erratically inside my chest, and I practically melted against Simon’s body. My whole body felt like it was short-circuiting, my breaths hitching and catching as he lowered me gently back against the couch cushions and pressed feather-light kisses to my cheeks, to the side of my neck, behind my ear. My brain was having a hard time catching up to what had just happened and what was currently happening.
Simon was kissing me and holding me.
Simon just told me he loved me. Several times! I was practically shaking from the shock of it all.
He frowned in concern and clutched my arms in his large hands. “Kiley?”
“Sorry,” I said, taking in a shuddery breath. “I just can’t believe this is happening.”
