Within These Walls (Within These Walls #1)(91)

She nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “But why didn’t you come back?” she asked. “I remember now—when you were in my hospital room after the surgery. You wanted to stay. Why didn’t you stay with me?”

“I should have known you’d remember that,” I said with a slight grin. “I wanted to, more than you could possibly imagine. Walking away a second time, especially after you’d just undergone very risky surgery, was like taking a bullet to my heart for every mile I put between us. But I can’t run this company from Santa Monica. This was my deal to Roman for returning, my penance for giving you a life you deserve. I can’t abandon my family, not again.”

“So, where does that leave us?” she asked, her eyes meeting mine.

I took a deep breath, letting the air slowly vacate my lungs. “I don’t know, Lailah.”

Silence settled between us before I heard her lilting voice again.

“Did you know that NYU has an excellent cardiology department?”

My heart skipped a beat.

“I didn’t know that,” I answered, trying to gauge her blank expression.

“They do. Marcus says that transferring my care to the East Coast would be relatively easy if—”

“If you moved here?” I finished, my eyes widening.

She nodded, her expression brimming with excitement. “It’s already done. My things are being shipped next week. See? You’re not the only one who can make life decisions all on your own.”

“You’re moving to New York?” I asked in bewilderment.

This can’t be possible.

“Yeah, but I can’t decide where to live. Do you think you could help me find a place?” She grinned.

Reaching out, I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to me. She let out a high-pitched yip and laughed as her legs fell around my thighs.

“You will be living with me,” I said. “Forever.”

Our lips met, and I was in heaven again with the sweet taste of her kiss and the way she molded her body against mine. She was my salvation.

Life—it really did go on, even after insurmountable grief, debilitating sorrow and a life waiting to begin. As long as we were able to love and be loved in this world, no heart would ever be beyond repair.

Love had brought me to her and there, within her arms, I had found a reason to live again. She was my angel, my Lailah, my love.

Epilogue

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP…

My eyes still shut, I listened, focusing on my surroundings, as I felt the sheets, smelled the air, and did my mental checklist.

“Oh my God, Lailah! Turn off that damn alarm!” Jude mumbled.

I laughed, remembering exactly why I’d stopped doing the mental checklist a long time ago.

There was no need.

Every morning, I awoke in the same place.

Home.

It didn’t matter if we were in our high-rise Manhattan apartment or in a hotel room on the California coast. The man next to me would always be the only home I ever needed.

I opened my eyes to find Jude buried under our covers with his pillow firmly covering his head.

“You know, you could turn it off,” I suggested with a smirk.

The pillow lifted, and I saw his doubtful expression change as he looked over at the alarm clock on my side of the bed. A wicked grin crossed his face as he suddenly sprang, pinning me underneath him, while he reached across to cease the loud beeping. His hard naked chest brushed against mine, and I felt my ni**les pebble instantly.

“That was an excellent idea,” he said, surveying his new view like a king.

“It’s never good to be lazy,” I whispered.

His mouth took mine. My hands dived into his short hair as my legs wrapped around his waist.

An hour later, he’d thoroughly proven just how necessary alarm clocks were.

I raced around our hotel room, looking for my lost shoe.

“This is all your fault!” I yelled, pushing my head under the bed in search of the long-lost nude pump.

“You weren’t complaining last night,” he scoffed. “In fact, I seem to remember something along the lines of, ‘Oh God, Jude, never stop…please never stop.’ Can’t blame a guy for trying to follow directions.”

My head reappeared from the lower recess of the bed, and as I stood, I turned away to try to hide the blush he’d caused. I felt his tender touch wrap around my waist as he turned me around.

“I love seeing that. Don’t ever hide it.” He smiled, brushing his thumb down my reddened cheek.

“I can’t find my shoe,” I said with a pout.

His smile widened as his eyes narrowed in on my bottom lip.

“Focus, tiger.” I laughed. “Shoe. Me. Need it.”

“Right,” he answered. “Okay, one shoe coming up!”

After ten minutes, he was on the bed with his shoulders slumped in apparent defeat. “Are you sure you can’t just go barefoot?”

I gave him a hard stare.

He shook his head, lifting his hands in surrender. “Okay, give me the shoe.”

I handed him the left shoe, and I watched him walk to the hotel phone. He punched a single digit and waited.

“Hi, yes. I need someone to go retrieve some shoes for me—and fast. Size seven and a half. Nude. Maybe a two- or three-inch heel?” He looked up at me for confirmation.