Page 55 of Craving Her
“I know, baby. I’m here. Hold on to me and let it out, Peaches. Don’t hold it in.”
“Everyone is acting like he’s dead, but I just don’t think he is. My brother can’t be gone. You know him, Torin. Mattie would fight too hard to not go out this way.”
I sigh, my heart breaking. Still, I can’t give her false hope. “Baby …” I leave the rest unspoken. I can’t seem to make myself say the words.
“No, Torin. They haven’t found Mattie’s body yet. There’s a chance. A big one. I know him. Heck, you do, too. You know how hard he’d fight … There has to be a chance.”
I hug her tighter, pulling her back into my body. My cock instantly rising to the occasion, but I ignore it. I don’t want to give her false hope, but there’s no way I can break her heart either. “There’s a chance,” I agree, giving her another squeeze. “You’re right, baby. There’s still a chance,” I repeat. “Breaker absolutely would fight to survive.”
Her tears come harder. “That’s exactly what I told, Thea,” she sobs. The sound of her misery is breaking me. I can do nothing but hold her and comb my fingers through her hair. “Let it out, baby. I’m right here. You’re safe with me, Peaches. I’m right here with you. I love you.”
“You love me?” she whimpers.
“After what we shared, how can you doubt that, Peaches?”
“But I heard you, Torin. You were on the phone telling Raze that our night together only happened because you felt guilty and sorry that you had hurt me. It was pity sex. I heard it all.”
I shake my head, kissing the top of her head. “When your tears stop and things here …” I sigh, wondering exactly how to phrase it. “When things are better, I’m going to spank your ass for thinking I would ever do that to you.”
“But—”
I force her head up to look at me. The tears running down her face are still hard to take in, but I need her to hear me. I want her to see the truth written on my face. “You only heard one side of a conversation, baby. You didn’t hear what Raze said or how he knows that I’ve always wanted you.” I lean down and gently kiss her lips, taking in the salty tears on my tongue as I do. “Tomorrow, the two of us can sneak away and talk about everything. I’ll explain everything then. For now, all you need to know is that I love you and I’m not going anywhere. You’re my woman, Skylar. I want you to lean on me. I want to be here with you. There’s no other place I want to be. Hell, I only feel half alive when you’re not next to me.” Her tears begin falling again as she collapses against me. Although now that she’s not trying to keep from relaxing in my hold, she can feel how hard my cock is.
“Um …,” she hums between her sniffling.
“Ignore it,” I tell her. “Me being hard whenever you’re close is just something you’ll have to get used to. You’re mine and I will always want you. I’m not going to try and hide it from you. Right now, it’s not important right now. Tonight, I just want to hold you so that you know you’re not alone. I’m not going anywhere.”
“But—”
“Shh … We will talk tomorrow, I promise. Rest while you can, sweetheart. Raze told me how you’ve been running yourself ragged trying to take care of your family.”
She gives me a little smile, but she just looks nothing but sad. “I’m just trying to help,” she mumbles.
“That’s because my Peaches is an amazing woman. She’s always trying to take care of others. So, just let me take care of you right now.” I kiss her forehead and slide down on the bed, still holding her. She curls in close as we settle, and I adjust the covers. I continue to hold her and place small kisses here and there, because I just can’t keep from it.
“Torin?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’m sorry I ran away, but I’m really glad you came after me.”
“Skylar, listen to me. I’ll alwayscome for you.Always.You’re my heart and my soul.”
She places a kiss on my chest. “Goodnight, Torin.”
“Goodnight, Peaches. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“What if someone finds you here?”
“Then everyone will know about our relationship before we tell them. I’m not keeping you a secret. I’d like to give it enough time for your parents to process everything they’re going through, but that’s the only reason everyone doesn’t know tonight. You’re mine. Fuck, I want the entire world to know it. I’m proud that you’re my old lady.”
“We can talk tomorrow?” she asks, trying to hide a yawn.
“Yes, now, be a good girl and go to sleep for me.”
“Okay, Tor,” she murmurs in that sweet voice that’s filled with a mixture of sleep, sadness, and what I hope is happiness that I’m here with her. I squeeze her once more, as she stretches out, burrowing her head into my chest with her legs on each side of me. Her stomach presses against mine and her arms are loosely draped so that they hang at my sides. I listen until herbreathing evens out. Then, surprisingly, I feel sleep inching up on me, too. I willingly surrender. My woman is back in my arms.
That’s all I need.