Page 70 of Honeybees and Sexy Tees
I patted his chest twice. “Okay, but I’d understand if you change your mind and decide to go. I can man the fort for a while and be fine.”
He chuckled and leaned down, kissing my lips. “Honeybee, I know you can, but I’m not flying out of the country when Mor is having major surgery. Not to mention you’re doing tests too. I’m where I need to be right now.”
“Speaking of Mor, that was quite a revelation they made today.” He’d refused to talk about it on the way back to town earlier, but it was important that he did. I pinned him with a stare and waited him out.
“It helped to hear Far apologize and admit he was wrong,” he finally whispered. “I needed to hear that.”
“How come?” I asked, rubbing my hand across his chest.
“I gave up a lot, got into a lot of trouble, and lost who I was because of the things he said to me. They might have been true, but with maturity, I see that he should have helped me become the man he thought was right for you, not say I wasn’t good enough and walk away.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, sliding my hand down to caress his waist. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re right.”
“In light of everything, I’ve decided it has to be water under the bridge. I don’t want it to ruin the relationship I’ve worked to rebuild with them over the last few years. Being a better man means learning to see other people’s side of things and offering grace in the same way you’d want for yourself.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I whispered, snuggling in closer to him. “I missed being able to hold your hand today. I’m glad they know about us now.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me tightly. “I love you, honeybee. It’s freeing to be able to say it and show it. I hope you don’t mind PDA, because I struggled with not being able to touch or kiss you today. It will be the last time.”
“I don’t mind PDA,” I promised, caressing him just above his waistband until I dragged a moan from his lips, “as long as, you know, we’re not with a client or something.”
He pulled me to his lips where he kissed me until I was breathless and panting. “I’ll remember those stipulations.”
His eyes were the deep blue of the lake when he broke eye contact to sit up. I grabbed his shirt. “Where are you going?”
“I forgot I have something for you. Hang on.” He climbed from the bed then lifted something from his dresser drawer before he slid back under the covers. There was a square flat box in his hand. “I want you to promise that you won’t get mad.”
I cocked my head and met his eyes. “You already know I’m going to get mad if you bought me a gift. It’s not even my birthday.”
He rolled his eyes to the ceiling in frustration. “Yes, because heaven forbid, I buy you a gift just for the heck of it.”
I snorted, and he lowered his brow at me, planting a big fat kiss on my lips. “Okay, I won’t get mad that you bought me a gift.”
“I’m not worried that you’ll be mad about me buying the gift, but rather what the gift is.”
I could tell he was nervous when he held the box out, which I accepted. “Why would I get mad about what the gift is?” I lifted the lid off to look inside and gasped at what awaited me. “It’s beautiful, Mattie!” I lifted it from the cotton padding and held it up to the dim light. That’s when I noticed what the bracelet was. and I lowered it to my lap slowly. “Mattie,” I sighed. “It’s beautiful, and it was lovely of you, but . . .”
He freed the medical alert bracelet from my hand. “I know you don’t want to wear one, but Honey, no one would know what was wrong if you had a seizure and I wasn’t there.” He held up the gold filigree bracelet again. “I made sure it was discreet but also as gorgeous as you are. The bracelet band is interchangeable, so you can wear different colored beads depending on your mood.”
I fingered the beads that made up the bracelet band. “Yellow and brown.”
“For my honeybee.” He winked and flipped the gold bracelet over. “Read what it says.”
“Seizure disorder.” I paused and glanced up at him. “You didn’t put epilepsy.”
He shook his head and bounced the bracelet on his hand. “I will call it whatever you’re comfortable calling it, but I have to protect you. If that means we make it simple, then I’m okay with that.”
“You put your name and number on it,” I whispered, taking it from him and running my thumb across the engraving.
“I did because I’m not going anywhere, Honey. I love you so much, and it does something to me inside to think you could be somewhere without anyone who understands what’s happening to you. If you don’t want a bracelet, I understand. Maybe we can find a necklace that you can hide under your clothes?”
I traced the raised filigree then shook my head, handing it back to him. I could see the hurt in his eyes when he took it from my hand. I raised my arm and held my wrist out to him. “I’ll wear your bracelet, Mattie. I can’t be upset about something done out of love and protection.”
He sighed with relief, and his shoulders relaxed as he fixed the bracelet to my arm. “Thank you for accepting it. I feel better knowing you’re safe when we’re apart.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him pull me onto his lap, his lips meeting mine with more heat than I was expecting. He kissed me hard, and I whimpered, the sound needy to my ears. He grew hard under my legs, and a loud moan escaped when he twitched against me. When he released my lips, I was sure they were pink, puffy, and puckered.
“Damn, you’re good at that,” I sighed. “It must be the bed.”
