Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
The dam inside me collapses. A torrent overcomes me.
I crumble, falling hard and fast into an abyss, knowing she’s on the other side.
I’ve never cried like I do now.
Not even at the funeral. Not even that god awful day.
This is a purge of the demons in my soul. It’s ugly, raw, and twists my muscles into knots.
Tears soak the front of the shirt she’s wearing, my arms band so tight around her, I worry she’ll shatter.
“I’ve got you.”
Gentle, so gentle . She strokes her fingers through my hair as I unpack it all, bit by ugly truth—no words spoken. None needed. Just wracking sobs.
Oceans of tears.
And the sweetest embrace known to the world.
“Fuck, honey. I didn’t mean to melt down on you.”
She kisses the top of my head, murmuring softly, “It’s okay.”
Then, she presses her lips gently to the side of my face. The spot along the side of my neck too. “You’ve seen me unravel, now we’re even.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. But thank you for being my anchor in the storm.”
She leaves me for a few seconds, and I slump, my head in my hands. First, she passes me tissues, followed by a cool damp towel.
“Here, you’ll feel better when you hold this against your eyes. I know from experience.”
It makes me scowl when I think about her crying. But she pulls me up to my feet.
“Come on. Get that shower. I’ll get the door when they deliver the food.”
My neck snaps back. “Sweetheart, not dressed like that.”
She didn’t put on the shorts I left her.
And I know she's got nothing under that. Allison still doesn’t have any panties, and it’s clear she’s not wearing a bra from the slope of her beautiful breasts.
My possessive growl earns me a cute little eye roll. “I’ll tell them to leave the food outside.”
“That’s more like it.” I grab her and haul her up against me for a quick hug. Needing to feel that anchoring comfort one more time. “Don’t open the door for anyone.”
Eyes going solemn, she nods. “Promise.”
Fastest shower of my life.
Little bandages are all over the floor and shower stall when I emerge a minute later.
Haphazardly, I dry off and storm out of the bathroom, crashing into the door casing.
Relief hits when I see her, then vanishes when I realize she’s pacing.
“Hey, you okay?”
Stilling, she worries at her thumb with her fingernail. “Just worrying.”
“About?”
Tentative still, she stops with the thumb but shifts to nibble her lip. “You.”
Oh, fuck.
A fresh wave of stinging builds in my throat. “Nah, no need. I’m good, better than I’ve been in a long time.”
The knock on the door feels rude. Probably because it is.
Loud ass motherfucker, whoever it is, follows the banging with yelling. “Hey! Food. Quit making out and come get this before it gets cold.”
I snatch open the door.
Beast looks amused when he sees me in a towel. Especially when he zooms in on my arms. First one, then the other. “You never did say what the hell all those cuts are from.”
“Don’t ask.” I snatch the bag. “See you tomorrow.”
Slam the door and flip the lock.
When I turn around, Allison’s expression is scolding.
“You didn’t.”
“He’s a guy. He understands. There are two things you never get between. A man and his food and a man and his woman.”
“What about a man and his truck?”
I grin and let my eyes fall slowly over her. “What about a woman and her Truck?”
Laughter fills the house. “Give me that bag, or I’ll take a bite out of you.”
“Promise?”
“Maybe.” She hops on the bed. “Let’s eat. In bed.”
I’m already stalking toward her, dropping my towel on the floor as I go. “I like the way you think.”
I throw back the covers and launch myself onto the smooth cool sheets. “Oh, fuck yeah, this is heaven.”
As I stare, Allison’s cheeks pink, a little sheen coats her eyes. Dreamy. The same way I feel now.
This is the good stuff.
What we’ve both been waiting for.
Her voice is a little huskier when she speaks. “You know… I think you’re right, this is heavenly. Now lie back and let me feed you.”
I’m sure my blink is cartoonish. “Really?”
She climbs up to kneel beside me and spreads dinner on my stomach. Wrappers of tamales, sauce containers and other unknown items. “Yep, I’m going to feed you like a king.”
Fuck. Yes.
“Okay. I’m down with this. Just keep the hot sauce away from the Big Mack.”
Her hand freezes mid-way to a paper-wrapped package of tamales. “You don’t really call your cock Big Mack do you?”
“No, but I can for you.”
She dissolves into laughter. Which leads to me grabbing her hand and pulling her in for a kiss.
“You better hurry up and eat, because I’m starving…for you.”
With a little huff, she pulls away. “Open up.”
I do as commanded, and Allison feeds me a girl-sized bite, and then I feed her a bite remembering she’s half my size.
And we go on like this until everything is gone. The moment is sexy and sweet, and seared like a tattoo onto my brain.
By the time we eat the churros—which Beast did remember—our fingers are sticky, and we’ve kissed all the sugar off of each other’s lips.
She watches as I kiss her fingertips one by one, making sure they’re not sticky. “Better than any present. Any gift. Any day that I can remember.”
The way her gaze softens, her lips curve, sends me over the edge.
Shoving the wrappers off my stomach, I grab her, pulling her until she’s straddling me. “Now…”
There’s a playful light to her expression. “Now we go into a food coma?”
I tease a ringlet of her hair, twisting it around my knuckle. The slow steady throb of my pulse feels like pure happiness has been unleashed inside of me. “Is that what you want?”
“No.” A sheepish grin tugs at her lips.
Wandering, her eyes slide down my chest, across my abs to the place where she’s seated against my lower stomach.
“I want you.”
“Thank god.” My reply is a groan. “Because I’m done waiting.”
If there were neighbors close, they would surely have heard her surprised squeal when I flip her over, pinning her beneath me.