Page 112 of Broken Pieces

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Brett helps me out of the truck and up the stairs to the cottage. Rae follows behind us with the wheelchair I was told I needed to use for the next week until I could breathe normally again.

The bullet that Logan fired from the gun missed my heart by two inches but pierced my lung. I was in the hospital for a week before they decided I could be released.

As I make the last step, I notice my dad took the wheelchair from Rae so she could use the porch rail to make it up the stairs. She was in just about as bad condition as me. Logan dislocated her shoulder from dragging her, broke two ribs when he kicked her, minor bruises on the face, and a concussion. She played it off like it was no big deal saying it was what she was used to. But damnit I want to take care of her, and I feel useless. She never had anyone look after her when he beat her in the past and I want to be that person for her now.

“You two sure you don’t need me to find someone to move in with you while you recover?” my dad asks. “I’m sure your mom wouldn’t mind.”

“We’ll be okay, Dad. I promise.”

He nods his head as he opens the wheelchair on the top step. I grab ahold of Rae’s arm as she reaches the top step. “I don’t need it, Dad. I got Rae.”

“You both should be in wheelchairs,” my dad mutters as he closes it back up.

Brett opens the door for us, and we step inside. Rae and I hold on to each other as we walk to our bedroom. Not mine, ours. Everything is now.

“Summer and Mom cleaned everything up while you were in the hospital. I think Summer put all your clothes in here Rae.”

The four of us stand in silence in Rae and mine’s room before my dad speaks. “I’ll leave the chair in the hall in case you need it.” He claps me on the shoulder before he leaves. “I’m proud of you Brooks. You saved her life. You risked your own. You’ve become a better man.”

I don’t know how to respond. My dad has never said he was proud of me. I pull him into a hug before he leaves.

Brett is right behind him. “You two call if you need anything. I’ll be right over.”

“Thanks.”

I reach for Rae’s hand and pull her into me. She wraps herself into my body. Both of us being cautious of the other’s injuries. “I love you,” I whisper into her ear.

I feel her smile against my neck. “I love you, too.”

I go into one of my drawers and pull out an oversized t-shirt. I walk back over to her and carefully pull her tank top over her head, mindful of her shoulder. I plant kisses across her clavicle and make my way down the center of her chest, teasing her nipples over her bra. I make my way further south, across the smooth planes of her stomach, below her navel until I reach her shorts. I unbutton them and slowly pull them down her legs, my kisses following their travel.

She grips my hair as I kiss her core through her lace panties. I don’t stay there long as I slowly make my way back up her body. I remove her bra before placing the t-shirt I grabbed over her head. “As much as I want to lick and touch and fuck every inch of your body right now, we both need to wait.”

She moans as she pulls my shirt over my head with the same carefulness I bestowed upon her. “Do we have to?”

“Doctor’s orders.” I grin.

“For how long?” she asks as she pulls down the sweatpants I have on.

I grab her hips as I slowly lay her on the bed. I hover over her trailing my finger along her thigh. “He said at least a week.”

“That’s a long time,” she responds with a small thrust to her hips as I trail my finger toward her center.

“Mmhmm,” I reply as I suck on her neck.

“Could we shorten it to three days?’

I chuckle into her neck before sucking on her ear lobe. “I think we can make it work.”

“That’s still a long time,” she says as she grabs my dick firmly.

I moan in pleasure as her hand moves up and down. “I’m sure we can shorten it to three hours.”

Her legs wrap around my hipbones. “What about three minutes.”

My mouth finally finds hers and I plunge my tongue in, feasting on her taste. “I’m thinking three seconds.”

I descend again onto her mouth as her legs tighten around my hips. She giggles as she says, “Three seconds is something I can definitely work with Mr. Anderson.”

And with that, we throw the doctor’s orders out the window as we freely make love to each other.