Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1)(79)

He ducked his head, leaning his forehead on the bed guard as though he needed a moment to compose himself and stop from strangling me. I reached out and ran my fingers over his hair.

He lifted his head. His eyes gleamed with moisture and his voice was quiet as he continued, “I thought you were gone, Pepper. It was bad enough to lose you the first time, but to lose you like that? I couldn’t have dealt with that.”

I choked on a sob. It tore through my ravaged throat, but I couldn’t have stopped it if I tried. Another hoarse sob followed. “You’re the reason I’m alive. I heard you and that made me fight. You were there, somewhere, and I knew that. I had to get to you.”

He reached for my face, and that’s when I noticed his bandaged hands.

“Reece!” I gently took them between my hands. My eyes flew to his face. “This is from saving me.”

“They’re just minor burns. From when I lifted the clock. I‘ll be fine.”

I blinked long and hard before opening my eyes to look at him. “God, we could have died tonight. It could have ended like that.” A sob welled up in the back of my throat. I swallowed it down and moistened my lips. “I understand what you meant now. Bad shit happens. I thought picking Hunter . . . I was being smart.” I shook my head. “My safe choices didn’t matter tonight though. Did they?”

A stillness came over him. “So what are you saying?” His question hung heavily on the air.

“I know you’re with Tatiana now, but—”

He shook his head, his expression bewildered. “I’m not.”

“What?”

“It was just a coffee. We’re old friends.”

“Oh.” I blinked.

“You’re with Hunter.” It was more of a question than a statement.

Tears welled up in my eyes. “But it hasn’t been right. It hasn’t been you. I can’t . . . I haven’t been able to—” I sucked in a deep breath. “I can’t be a real girlfriend to him when all I can do is think about you.”

“Ah, shit, Pepper.” Still holding my face, he lowered his forehead to mine. “I’m not going through this again with you just so you can run when you get scared that I’m not like some ideal you built up in your head. I love you. I’m f*cking in love with you, but it’s all or nothing. I won’t do this again unless it’s going to be like that.”

Now I was crying, choking on my sobs. “I know. I want that. It took me so long to figure that out, but I know now. You are the safest thing I’ll ever find.” I deliberately repeated his words, holding his gaze and letting them sink in. “Because you love me. Because I love you.”

Then we were kissing. Both of us a mess. Oxygen tubing running up my nose. Neither one of us cared.

He pulled back and stared at me for a long moment before a slow grin broke across his face. “I heard you say it the first time, you know, but this time it’s even better.”

I blinked. “What first time?”

“Right before you passed out. Wasn’t sure if you meant it. Could have just been your oxygen-starved brain.”

“I remember saying it. I meant it. And I mean it now.”

He kissed me again. “I love you. Ever since you walked into Mulvaney’s looking like it was the last place you wanted to be.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “And ever since you explained so matter-of-factly that you were looking for lessons in foreplay.”

I rolled my head on the pillow with a groan. “Please. Don’t remind me of that.”

“C’mon.” He kissed my grimy cheek. “It’s good stuff. We can tell our grandkids about it someday.”

I lifted my head and looked into his eyes, warmth blossoming through me at his words. “I’d rather tell the one about how their grandfather carried their grandmother out of a burning building.”

He grinned, but there was such seriousness in his eyes, such depth that I felt like I was looking at forever. “That will be a good one, too.”

“I think we’re going to have a few to choose from.”

“Of course we will. We’ll never be boring.”

At that moment, my roommates arrived. They yanked back the curtain, a nurse fast on their heels. Their eyes widened when they saw Reece hovering over me, his hands framing my face.

“Hey,” I greeted them with an awkward wave.

“Are you okay?” Georgia rushed to my side, looking me over.

“I’m fine.”

“And what’s this?” Em nodded at Reece. He released my face but now held my hand, fingers laced with mine.

He looked at me, waiting for me to answer. “My boyfriend.”

“Thought you had one of those already,” Georgia murmured.

“Yeah. Who should be here any minute,” Emerson volunteered with a pointed look at our joined hands. “We called him on our way here.”

“I’m already here.”

All eyes swung to where Hunter stood by the curtain, looking composed. He stepped closer, his forehead knitted with concern as he eyed me up and down, not missing my hand linked with Reece’s. “Are you okay?”

That was so very Hunter. Worried about my welfare first. “Yes. I’m fine.”

His shoulders relaxed. I hadn’t been aware of the tension there until that moment. Nodding as if satisfied with my answer, his gaze shifted to Reece. Reece’s hand tightened around mine as though he feared I might let go. Not that I ever would. Not anymore. Not again.