Chapter 16
Sixteen
Stone pulled the aluminum foil sheet out of the packaging and tucked it down over the baking dish. Mae always loved his lasagna, and if ever there was a day for the comfort meal, it was then.
He lowered the door on the oven, wincing as his sore, healing muscles pulled awkwardly as he lifted the casserole dish and set it on the wire rack.
It had been nearly a week since her miscarriage, and Mae had become more and more closed off as the days passed.
He was going stir-crazy. There were still a few days before his next appointment, and Stone was doing everything in his power to show he was ready to return to work.
If not in a complete capacity, because his memory still hadn’t returned, he could at least spend a few hours in the office. If he had to be trapped in the apartment for another goddamn day, he might just explode.
And Mae, she was the same way. Just a pressure cooker waiting to blow.
He’d seen it every day when she’d leave for work, and every night when she came home.
Stone had made the mistake of going down to the office the second day after the miscarriage and Mae had turned beet red and nearly killed him with her cold stare as he made an excuse about needing to see Nash and bolted down the hallway.
Well, bolted was probably too strong of a description, but he moved like his ass was on fire. And he hadn’t made the same mistake since.
The door to the apartment opened and Mae’s heels clicked on the floor as she walked in.
“What’s going on?” Her brows pulled together as he leaned against the breakfast bar, watching her move around the living room, tossing her keys onto the small table he had by the door. Stone was going for a romantic movie night, but honestly, it looked more like a toddler sleepover.
“I thought we could just spend tonight together on the couch. Cuddle up. Watch some Dr. Quinn…”
She shook her head. “I was just going to take a bath and have some cereal before bed… but something smells so good. Did Lily drop food off?”
“I made lasagna.”
Her face fell. “You’re supposed to be resting. You were shot in the chest not that long ago.”
“You’re supposed to be resting too. And you haven’t been eating.”
“I haven’t been hungry.”
“I know, sweetheart. But you have to try. You always do this when you’re stressed, but your body is trying to heal. It needs nourishment.”
She sighed, her hands coming up to rest on her hips. “Well, it does smell good.”
“Good. It’s got to go for another forty-five minutes or so. I’m going to run you that bath. I’ve already got your favorite pajamas in there and that ridiculous towel you like to use for your hair.”
Her eyes went wide and shot down the hall. “Stone, no… I…”
“In the guest bathroom,” he whispered, and the relief on her face was instant.
Stone wasn’t sure she was avoiding the bathroom attached to their bedroom until that very moment.
He hadn’t meant for the gesture to also be a test, but it was getting harder and harder to write off her avoidance of using the space as coincidental.
Mae left the bedroom every morning with her work clothes in her hands, and came back dressed and freshly showered.
“Thank you.”
He nodded. “I’ll bring in that lavender salt scrub stuff you like.”
Mae bit her bottom lip. “Oh, could…”
“What? Name it.”
“I’ve missed using your soap the last few days.”
Stone laughed. “So, you’re finally admitting that you are the soap thief?”
Her smile nearly blinded him. “Never. But I will admit that I miss smelling like you. So maybe you could get the soap for me and join me in my bath? And then we can eat our fill of lasagna and cuddle. I think that sounds like the perfect way to spend our night.”
She stepped away, heading to the guest bathroom while Stone walked to grab his body wash.
When he got to the bathroom with Mae inside, she had the water running, filling up the tub.
He watched her for a moment, as she poured her favorite bath salts into the water.
She looked calm. Almost serene. It had been a while since the tension wasn’t tight across her features.
And just as quickly as he thought that, her hand moved low on her belly as she winced.
“Are you still in pain?” he asked, pushing off the door frame.
“A little,” she sighed. “It’s not bad now. They felt like contractions the first few days, but it’s more like period cramps now. And they aren’t as frequent as they were. So, that’s good.”
He reached up, his thumb capturing the tear that rolled down her cheek.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
“There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“I’m still bleeding. It's light now, but if you don’t want to get in the bath with me, I understand.” Mae sighed as her eyes searched his.
“Shh.” Stone shook his head, his hand brushing across her hip as his fingers worked to pull her blouse up. The silky white garment was feather light in his touch, an article of clothing easily removed.
“God, you’re so beautiful.” He pressed his lips to her collar bone as his fingers worked the button on her pants. It popped open, and Mae wiggled her hips while her own hands guided the band down her legs.
“Do you really believe that?” she asked, just a second before his lips crashed into hers. The water from the filling bathtub drowned out the noises of their connection, but Stone could still feel the pleasure humming through her body.
“You are more beautiful than ever before, Michaela. I don’t ever want you to doubt that.
What you went through, what you are still going through, I don’t know how to describe it.
I see how strong you are, and how strong you think you have to be.
I just want to take away all of your pain.
But I don’t know how to do that. So I’m going to take care of you tonight. ”
“I don’t think I can be strong anymore.” Mae closed her eyes, and Stone kissed her forehead.
“You don’t have to be. I’m going to take care of you.” His words weren’t just filler, meant to make her feel better in that moment. They were a promise that had been etched across his soul, and would remain there for the rest of his life.
Mae made quick work of getting him undressed and Stone stepped over the edge of the bathtub, standing with his hand outstretched to help her step into the tub.
He sank into the water first, moving so Mae could fit right between his legs.
Her back rested against his chest, and he loved feeling the way she relaxed into him.
“This is nice,” she whispered.
“Mm, it is.” He tipped his head, pressing his lips against her skin right at the point where her shoulder met her neck. “Let’s take your hair down and wash it.”
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
“Mae.” Her voice rumbled around his chest. “Let me take care of you.”
She nodded, reaching up to pull the clip out of her hair. Long, silky brown strands of hair cascaded down, landing over her shoulders and filling the space with the citrus and mint scent he was so familiar with.
“How are we going to manage this?”
“I thought ahead…” Stone grabbed the cup he’d placed at the side of the tub. “Here. Tip your head over into the crook of my arm. I’ll be able to wet your hair without waterboarding you.”
“I don’t know. We could role play your time in BUD/s.
You could be the instructor who doesn’t want to see me succeed, and I could be the student who takes no shit.
” Her body turned so her mouth was next to his ear.
“We could pretend you were giving me one on one lessons, and almost drown me. Mouth to mouth is the only hope of bringing me back. And when I sputter back to life, we fuck in the training pool before the other candidates come in for the day.”
Stone laughed, his body shaking not only himself, but Mae too.
“That’s quite the scenario you’ve laid out for me, Candidate Quinn.”
“Oh, yup. I love that,” she purred, laying her head down on his arm. “Drown me, Instructor Sully.”
Her eyes closed and her breath stayed in her chest. He watched her for a second before lifting his arm, using his other hand to gently scoop the bathwater up and drip it over her hair.
“That’s not really my idea of drowning…” she teased, her eyes still closed.
“I could never stand by and watch you drown, Mae. I could never live with myself if you felt like you were drowning because of me.” He poured more water at the crown of her head. “But you need someone to save you? You better believe I’ll be there, every time. I love you, sweetheart. I always will.”