Page 95 of Hunting Justice
The recliner had never felt so good. Noelle sank deeper into the cushion and closed her eyes, letting herself drift. She’d arrived home several hours ago, and Jonah hadn’t stopped fussing over her. He’d stayed by her side at the hospital, refusing to leave except for when their friends forced him to eat or go home to shower.
When her parents had visited her hospital room, her mother had tsked at her bare skin. Jonah had about come unglued and faced off with the prim and proper woman. He’d stated in no uncertain terms that her mother wasn’t allowed anywhere near Noelle until she changed her attitude. Her mother had stomped out of the room without so much as a goodbye.
The rejection hurt, but Jonah had stood up for her, and that was all that mattered. She’d never felt so loved in her life.
Since all of her friends had seen her marred skin, she’d decided to let go of the shame that had imprisoned her for so long—the insecurities forced upon her by her mother. Today, she wore a loose-fitting sleeveless top that did nothing to hide her scars.
“Can I get you anything?” Jonah ran his hand over her arms, then bent down and kissed her scars.
She jolted.
He arched an eyebrow.
“Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” He smiled. “You’ll get used to it.”
The idea of her ugly skin as a thing of beauty—his words, not hers—continued to baffle her. But the way he treated her… Wow! She resisted the urge to fan her face.
“Feel up for a conversation?” He sat on the arm of the couch next to her.
“Sounds serious.”
“It is.”
Concern churned in her belly. Had she misjudged his interest in her? Nope. She refused to go there until she had a reason. “Go ahead.”
He leaned in and clasped her hand. His gaze met hers. “Cara’s death gutted me for years. Then I came to terms with her being gone. The suffocating darkness lifted. The memories no longer had a hold on me. But there was one thing I couldn’t shake: the guilt from not saving her—failing her—that continued to consume me.”
Noelle sat and listened. She knew about his guilt. Her heart ached for the man she’d come to love. First as a friend, and then as more.
“When I saw you lying in that pool of blood, a part of me died. I thought I had lost you, too.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “My heart shattered. But one thing filled me with regret.”
“What was that?” She squeezed his hand.
“That I never told you that I love you.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Had she heard him right? “You love me?”
“More than anything in this world.” He slid from the arm of the couch and crouched next to her. “I love you, beautiful.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She had no doubt in her mind that the man loved her, scars and all. “While Austin held me in that garage, I realized that I had trusted God with everything except my insecurities—the very thing that kept me from living my dream of a husband and family.” She shook her head. “How could I have peace in the middle of Richard Nelson torturing me but not trust God with someone to love me?”
Jonah kissed the back of her hand but remained silent.
“At that moment, I decided that if I got out of there alive, I’d fix that problem.” She licked the salty tears from her lips. “I love you, Jonah Harris. But more than that, I trust you to love me.”
“Your trust means the world to me. I understand your fears, and I will do my best to make you feel special every day that God gives us together.” Jonah stood and held her face in his hands. “I love you.”
He closed the distance. His lips brushed hers, their touch soft and gentle.
Her inexperience worried her for a moment, then she melted into his touch.
As if he’d waited for her uncertainties to fade, he palmed the back of her head. He drew closer, careful not to jostle her, and deepened the kiss.
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead on hers. “That could get addictive.”
She struggled to slow her breathing. “And dangerous. You take my breath away.”