Page 170 of One More Heartbeat
Garrett lies next to me and lovingly cups my breast with his hand over my gown, his thumb stroking the nipple. I give in to the sensation, my body celebrating his touch, and I arch into his palm.
Outside the room door, the regular hospital sounds click, squeak, announce, chatter, but inside the room…inside the room it’s just us and our rapid breaths, my soft moans. Moans at his touch. Moans as I worship the feel of his mouth on mine. Worship the dizzying sensation of his mouth on my jaw, my neck, the shell of my ear.
“I’ve booked a hotel room.” His breath blows hot across my skin. “Do you want to stay with me in my hotel while you recuperate, until it’s safe for you to fly?”
“I would love to.” The whispered words fall out on a quiet whimper as his fingers do delectable things to the ache between my legs. I widen the space between them, a wanton groan building deep in my throat.
Oh, Lord, I’ve missed this. Missed the way my best friend, the man who has my heart and my soul, knows how to play my body. Knows how to get me begging for more.
Garrett moves his mouth to my ear. “You ready to fuck my hand, Golden Girl?” The question rides on the low, throaty rumble of his voice, and I plunge closer to the edge of euphoria.
My “Oh, yes!” rolls out on a whimper, my body writhing and bucking against his hand.
Garrett’s fingers sink inside me, claiming me. “And once you’ve been released from this hospital, it will be my mouth on this gorgeous pussy.”
His words and his touch and his sexy voice are all it takes for the white-hot heat to consume me—in a giant wave of ecstasy and relief.
62
ZARA
Six daysafter Garrett told me he loves me, he and I enter his house through the garage door.
While I was recuperating in New Orleans, we spent a lot of the time cuddling in bed and talking. Talking and cuddling. He told me about Eli and Joshua—his two closest friends from the Marines—his reason for being in Tucson, and why he pulled away that day I told him I loved him.
Guilt is a shadow on his soul, because he wasn’t there when the man broke into the house and kidnapped Peony and me. But he has agreed to talk to someone about the guilt, to make sure it doesn’t linger and fester, shredding him up over time from the inside.
The FBI victim support team has also made sure Peony and I have the resources to help us fully heal from the ordeal. We plan to make the most of it, since Garrett and I want to ensure nothing gets in the way of making what we have between us solid. Forever.
But most of all, he and I agreed to talk whenever doubts about us sneak in. We won’t let fear drive us apart.
He also told me Athena was never interested in him in the way I’d thought she might be. I’ll admit I never saw it coming that she’s gay and Kenda was bisexual. My heart aches for Athena because of everythingshe lost: Kenda—the love of her life—and being a mother to the little girl who would be her daughter if not for the cruel events that had unfolded.
Events that ultimately resulted in Garrett finding out he has a daughter.
Peony’s giggles come from the living room. My heart squeezes with a happy littlethu-dum. I’ve missed her so much during the past week, even though we did frequently FaceTime.
Garrett and I walk into the living room. Athena, his mother, and Peony are on the floor, playing with her toys.
Peony looks up, and my favorite adorable grin bends on her mouth. “Daddy! Zawa!” She toddles to us and lifts her arms. “Up. Daddy. Up.”
Garrett scoops her up and hugs her. She throws her arms around his neck and strangle-hugs him, her smile not going anywhere.
And my eyes prick with tears. Happy tears. Everything’s-gonna-be-perfect tears.
Guilt tries to slither inside me, to coil in my stomach, to flatten my joy. But I don’t let it, like I promised Garrett I wouldn’t. I can’t reverse time or take back what happened. And he convinced me that between Athena and his mother, Peony would be fine while he was with me in New Orleans.
“Oh, God, Zara. I’m so glad you’re okay.” Joanne hugs me tightly. “I was so worried about you.” She looks at me with love in her eyes—the kind of love that says she’s ecstatic I’m dating her son.
She turns her head to Garrett. “The statue you ordered arrived this morning. Lucas put it by the front door.”
“Thanks.”
“Statue? Did you get one of those big Greek goddesses for your backyard?” A smile spreads across my face. I’m kidding about the statue. Well, mostly kidding.
“You’ll see.” The subtle nervous tension suddenly rising from him leaves me even more curious about the mysterious delivery.
I kiss Peony’s cheek, inhaling her sweet toddler scent. “I’ve missed you.”
