A Dom is Forever (Masters and Mercenaries #3)(107)

With real love.

Liam O’Donnell might come to his senses somewhere down the line. He might wake up and realize she wasn’t beautiful enough for him, but no one would ever love him the way she did. She had to take the chance.

She heard the shower running and slowly took off her clothes. She dropped them on the counter. A bloody bandage sat near the sink, a smaller one beside it. He’d obviously torn it off before he’d gotten into the shower. Two fresh ones were waiting along with alcohol and some swabs. He was going to dress it himself? He didn’t think she would help him?

She needed to make it plain to him that she would take care of him, too.

She could see him through the glass of the shower. One hand pressed against the wall. His head was down, drooping like he just couldn’t hold it up. Her heart ached as she looked at him. He looked weary. How much had it cost him to tell her who he was? She’d taken it wrong, assigned all kinds of dumb motives to his actions, but he’d risked so much for her. What if he’d just done it for the purest reason of all? What if he’d done it because he loved her?

Swinging the glass door open, she stepped in. There was no hiding from this man.

“Avery?”

She put a hand out, touching the muscles of his back. She loved the way he felt, hard muscle under soft skin. His green eyes touched hers. There was an angry wound on his bicep. God, he’d really been shot. “Are you sure you’re all right? Should you be getting that wet?”

He turned, and she couldn’t mistake the way his cock hardened like it was a magnet drawn to her. She took comfort in it. Any time he was around, her * softened and prepared for him. She belonged to him in a way she’d never belonged to anyone else. Every piece of her lit up when he walked in a room.

A long sigh came from his chest. His arm wasn’t the only place that was hurt, and she realized just how much damage she’d done. “I’m fine. It’s all right, love. I’ve had worse. I can still take care of you, no problem. It doesn’t really hurt. And it didn’t even need stitches, which is good because Adam can’t sew to save his life.”

She reached out and touched it. It looked more like a burn than anything else. “I want to help you.”

He turned back to the showerhead, letting it hit his face. “You don’t. You’re just feeling bad, Avery. Give me a second and I’ll leave you to shower in peace. I want to be out of here in an hour, but we need to stop and check in with Adam and Jake first.”

He reached for the soap.

“I don’t want you to leave. I want to help you.” She reached out for him and was startled when he pulled away.

“It’s not enough.” He pumped the water up. Heat filled the room.

They could talk here. The rush of the water would filter out the sound of their voices. She stepped back. She wasn’t enough? Had she been wrong?

Liam didn’t wait for her response. “I don’t want you to help me, Avery. I want you to love me. I’m not going to be your good-time guy. Do you understand me? I ain’t going to settle when it comes to you. I can make you love me. I know you’re mad. I know you think you don’t know me, but you know more about me than anyone.”

“Liam,” she started. He was under some weird mistaken impression.

His hands found the curve of her hips. “No. I ain’t listening to you tonight. I know I f*cked up. I know I lied, but I ain’t lying about this. I love you. I ain’t said that to another woman me whole life. I love you, Avery. Maybe my love ain’t worth much just yet, but I’m working on that. I’m going to be better. I’m going to be worthy. I’ll learn from you. I’ll change for you. I’ll be a good man. I’ll be a man you want for more than an orgasm. I’ll be a man you can trust.”

Oh, she’d done him such a disservice. Did he honestly think she only wanted him for that gorgeous body? Since she’d decided to look at him with an open heart, she could see how truly lovely he was. He was a man she could trust. He’d offered up his career and a truth he’d been seeking for years, and all he’d asked is that she allow him to protect her. “Why do you think I’m here?”

She was curious. Why on earth did he think she was standing naked in front of him?

His jaw tightened. “You want sex. I taught you to want sex.”

Silly man. She let her hand trace the lean muscles of his hips. God, she loved every inch of him. There wasn’t a piece of the man that wasn’t perfection. “You taught me to want you.”

Nothing had ever been as sweet as making love with Liam O’Donnell no matter what his name was. She loved every minute of it, but she’d held back. It would be better now. She would give him everything.

His face contorted, but it couldn’t mask his beauty. “Avery, I know you’re just saying that, but I’ll make you believe it. I’m going to make you love me. It’s my mission now.”

“You love me?” They were the sweetest words she’d ever heard. He loved her.

“Damn, woman, I’m willing to give up everything to keep you safe. Of course I love you. I love everything about you. I need you, Avery. I need you so bad.” His hands tightened on her hips, dragging her forward until his cock touched her belly. “I love you, baby. I love you.”

Maybe it wouldn’t last forever. Maybe he would die tomorrow or she would, but she would have loved him and that was what mattered. Love mattered. Faith mattered. He mattered. “I love you, too.”