Hetch (Men OF S.W.A.T #1)(102)

“I know you do, Mom. I’m sorry I scared you. But I’m good. And tomorrow when you drop by unannounced, you’ll see I survived.” I give her my best comforting smile and a wink for good measure. “Now go, before Kota loses her cool and drags you out.” I carefully lean forward and give her cheek a kiss. She doesn’t release her grip on me right away, holding on a little tighter than normal.

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything else before I go?” I know she doesn’t want to leave me, but if I let her stay one moment longer, she’ll never leave.

“I think B has it under control.” My eyes find Kota’s and silently ask her to wrap this up.

“Okay, let’s go. Let’s go.” Kota’s impatient tone eventually breaks Mom’s reluctance. Herding Mom toward the door, she blows me a kiss and tells me they’ll be back tomorrow.

“You will call me if you need anything?” Mom starts pestering Liberty next.

“I promise.” She accepts my mom’s hug then my sister’s.

“Love you, son,” she calls out as Kota pushes her out the door.

“Love you, too, Mom.” I lock up behind them and turn to find Liberty standing there, carefully regarding me.

“You’re not going to fuss over me like my mother and sister just did, are you?” I step in front of her and pull her close. While I was given the all clear to head home, I’m still a little tender and for the next few weeks, I’m meant to be taking it easy.

“Depends.” She rises to her toes and offers me her soft, warm lips. It doesn’t get old. The touch of them. The taste of them.

“On what?” I smile against her, but she doesn’t open like I want her to.

“If you behave.”

“Well, you know that’s not happening.” I try harder to deepen the kiss, to ignore the throb in my neck as I lean in closer to get a better taste. She doesn’t let it progress. Pulling back before I can get too far, she takes my hand and walks down the hall to my room.

“I’m serious. You heard the doctor. Nothing too strenuous for the next few weeks.”

“So you’re saying no sex?” I follow her down to my room, only a tad disappointed. As much as I want to take her, I know we have a lot to talk about first.

“No sex, Hetch.”

“Okay, fine. But are you opposed to sleeping naked?” We clear the doorway to my room as I play with her some more, and like every time I do, that cute blush of hers kisses her cheeks.

“Seriously, who would have thought you were shot eleven days ago?” Her words tell me she finds me charming, but the drop in her smile shows me she’s still a little shaken up by it.

“Come here, baby.” I climb into bed and move over to make room for her.

“Hetch, I still have a few things I need to do before bed.” Her reluctance doesn’t concern me. She’s fought me every step of the way in this relationship. Why would she stop now?

“Sweetheart, it’s my first night out of the hospital, and I just want to hold my woman, in my bed, with no interruptions.” I pat the bed, encouraging her up. It only takes a couple of pats before she eventually gives in and climbs in with me, resting her cheek on my chest.

“Thank you,” I whisper when she settles in and makes herself comfortable.

“For what?” She doesn’t look up, but I can still picture the confused look on her face.

“For not leaving me. For not leaving Kota and Mom, and the team alone in all of this.” I know we have some issues we need to work through, but she was there when I needed her, when my family needed her, and that alone tells me more than what hasn’t been said between us.

“Ahh, I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I was kind of a mess. If it weren’t for your mom and sister, and the guys, I might have been committed.” Her forced laugh does nothing to take away from the fact she isn’t exaggerating. Both Kota and Fox have filled me in on how hard she took it. Imagining her broken and lost, hurts my heart, so I shake the image away.

“I know I can’t take it away, but I’m sorry I put you through it, Lib.” It’s barely enough, but it’s all I can offer.

“Don’t you dare apologize to me. You were doing your job. You have nothing to be sorry for.” Her voice is steady, but I don’t miss the shake in her hand as she brings it to rest on my stomach. Yeah, it’s my job. I’m a police officer, but we weren’t in a good place when I was shot. The last thing she needed was the extra stress of not knowing where we were at.

“Does my job frighten you?”

She doesn’t answer right away, but I don’t panic. The concern isn’t if my job frightens her; it’s if she can handle it or not.

“I’m not going to lie. I’ve never been more scared in my life sitting in that hospital waiting to hear if you survived. But I knew going into this what you did for a living, and the risk that comes with it. What scared me the most was the possibility of never being able to tell you how much I love you.” The room pulses in unmasked tension as I process the words I’ve been waiting to hear. I know she hasn’t left my side through all of this, but she’s been yet to say it and, after the mess I put her through, I wasn’t sure if she was hanging around out of obligation or if she really did love me.