Page 98 of Stolen Kiss

It could have been hours, or hell, days, for all I cared.

I just wanted her in my arms like this.

When it registered that I might be too heavy on top of her, I moved off her and lay on my front.

I could feel her eyes on me, but I didn’t look.

“Jensen?” she said after a long while.

I peeked one eye open. “Are you okay? Was I too rough with you?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “I think it should be me asking you that.”

She indicated my back. I glanced over my shoulder. I couldn’t see it all, but I caught sight of a single crimson line. Now that she mentioned it, the skin was stinging.

I smiled at the sight. “I knew from the moment I met you nine years ago that you would ruin me.”

And wasn’t that the truth?

I knew at first sight this girl would change everything. And I was scared shitless over the thought.

“I’m sorry,” she said, looking remorseful.

“Don’t be,” I told her, changing position so I was lying on my side, facing her and hiding the wounds from her sight. “I’ll gladly wear them.”

We lay there after that, taking each other in.

I broke it when I said, “Let me take care of you.”

She frowned. “I’m not a baby, Jensen.”

I nodded. “I know that. I know you don’t need me to take care of you, but I need to, baby. I fucking need you.”

And wasn’t that the truth? That was why her words downstairs had pissed me off. Because I knew how badly I needed her, and it scared me to think this might be one-sided. That she didn’t need me, and she could walk away from me without a single ounce of hesitation or regret…

That she could walk away from me and Elodie, and I didn’t know what to do with that fear.

I shook my head, staring off beyond her. “I need to know you’re safe. Do you have any idea how fucking terrifying it was to learn three years ago you’d been in that car accident?”

She smiled bemusedly at me. “You can’t stop all the bad shit from happening in this world, Jensen.”

“I know that. I just need to stop it from happening to you.”

“You’re not Superman. And that’s okay.”

She climbed on top of my body. I held still and watched her.

Her animated eyes took me in, and though I had thought I was well versed in reading women, I had a hard time reading that look on her face.

“You need me?” she asked, her tone soft.

I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly against me. “You’re more than I fucking deserve,” I answered gruffly. And more than I fucking cared to admit to anyone, least of all her.

She was quiet for the space of one long exhale, before she let out a sigh and snuggled back into my chest.

“Good,” she whispered before she promptly fell into a deep sleep.

---