Page 37 of Finally Us (Next Generation 5)

He lifted his head. “I need to see for myself.”

Before I could ask what he had meant by that, he grabbed my hand and led me to a nearby storage room. No one ever went into this room. Even though it had been packed with stuff, it was like we kept everything just in case we needed it one day.

“Vince.” I spun on him when he gently shoved me into the room. “Listen, I promise I’m fine.”

He slammed the door shut, clicking the lock into place and closing the distance between us. “You can tell me that all you want but it’s still not convincing me otherwise. I need to see.”

“You can’t expect me to get naked in here.” Not that I was opposed to getting naked in public, but I could never do something like that at a place like this.

“As much as I want you naked, we’re not doing that here.” Vince lowered to his knees. “Hold onto me.”

My heart jumped but I did as I was told. Cupping his shoulder, I waited. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do but knew that I needed to reassure him.

“Are you sore at all?” he asked, wrapping his hand around my shin.

“I…” I realized then that I was a little stiff. “Not sore exactly.”

His dark eyes shot to mine. “Stiff?”

I nodded.

A shadow passed over his face. “Your body must have tensed when you fell.” He trailed his fingers down my shin. “You sure you’re good?”

“I am. I promise.” I ran my hand to the back of his neck. “See?” I kicked off my sandal and wiggled my toes. “All good.”

Cupping my foot, he leaned back and brought it up to his mouth. He placed a soft peck on top of it before helping me back into my sandal.

But that small movement did something funny to me. It made me realize that no matter what, he would drop everything and do anything to make sure that I was in fact okay.

“Vince?”

He pushed to his full height.

“Are you convinced now?” I asked, placing a hand on his chest.

He covered my hand. “If something happened to you, I don’t know what I would do.”

“Nothing happened.”

“Not now it didn’t,” he snapped.

“Hey.” I pulled my hand from his and cupped his face.

Vince pushed his cheek into my palm. That single touch alone seemed to calm him. As his shoulders dropped, he let out another slow breath.

“You don’t think it was an accident. Do you?”

“No.” Vince pulled away and ran a hand through his hair. “But it doesn’t matter right now. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Areyouokay?”

“Yeah.” He came back toward me and placed a soft kiss on my mouth. “I’ll see you tonight?” he asked, pinching my chin and tilting my head back. “I’d like to ring in my birthday balls deep inside you.”

I coughed, my body heating at what he was suggesting. “Well, that’s an image.”

He smirked, his gaze dropping to my chest. “I can’t believe you still wear this,” he said, fingering the pendant hanging from the necklace he had bought me so long ago.

“Why wouldn’t I?” It had been my favorite present I had ever received. There was no way that I would ever take it off.

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