Chapter Eighteen
Jamison
Ifucking hurt everywhere. I took some water into my lungs when the ice broke.
The damn climate is shifting on us, and people aren’t prepared for it. More and more of our rescues are people getting stuck on or in the ice.
“Has the kid woken up yet?” I ask Finn, who is waiting at my bedside. Claire is beside me, but she’s resting her head on my arm. I’m thankful for her weight.
“They said she should wake soon. You know how these first twenty-four to forty-eight go. She’ll pull through, though.”
“What the hell was she doing out there, anyway?”
“Her parents said she was playing. Was supposed to be heading to her grandparents’. That lake should have been sturdy enough for your weight and hers.”
I take a deep breath and let out a sigh. “I know.”
I glance at Claire. She’s about to fall asleep. I want to take her home, but the doctor was insistent with monitoring me a bit longer although I said I was fine. Claire hates it here, so I told her to go, but she wasn’t moving, so I finally convinced the doctor to write some discharge papers. Hopefully, I’ll be free soon.
“You scared the shit out of her,” Finn adds when he catches where my gaze traveled.
I saw the panic when she found me after she arrived at the hospital. She knew about this side of my life, but seeing it in person is always different. I don’t know why I thought I could shield her from it.
“I don’t want to hurt her.” Even though I hurt her tonight.
“You know that comes with the job.” His voice drips with pain. Finn has been there with a woman before. His woman wasn’t able to handle the job and left him. She moved to Arizona and took his daughter with her to live with her parents. She told him that she couldn’t handle not knowing if he would come home. The fear tore them apart.
I don’t want to put Claire through the same worry and fear every day. She shouldn’t have to endure that.
“All right. You’re free to go.” My doctor’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “You know what to watch for. Be careful.” Claire rises and grips my hand as she watches the doctor’s lips closely. “And since I know you are worried, the girl is awake.”
I nod to the doctor and say thank you. She’s a nice older woman with a low bun and a stern disposition.
Claire releases a deep breath and lets my hand go. When I know she’s watching me, I sign, I was worried too.
I don’t need to translate for her. Even though her father does, she doesn’t always need the help.
I’ve never been so scared, she admits.
I’m sorry you had to see it.
Claire lays her head on my chest and doesn’t add anything more. Instead, she holds me. I wrap my arms around her and tangle my hand into her hair. When I glance at Finn, he’s watching us with a knowing look. It makes my chest tighten. He walks around the bed and rests his hand on Claire’s shoulder. She lifts up and turns his way. He leans down and hugs her goodbye, his hand lingering on her shoulder as they share a silent communication.
After he walks out of the room, Claire and I are not far behind. Since I’ve got discharge papers, I’m going to get my girl as far away from this damn place as I can. Between her sister’s death, her father’s heart attack, and now me sitting in this bed, I know she’s done with hospitals.
I also dropped a huge bomb on her right after lunch and still haven’t discussed the wedding with her. We’ve been less than a day in my world together, and it’s been a fucking mess. I want to escape back to her world. To hide away from the shitshow my life can be. I knew from the beginning I shouldn’t bring her into my life, but I selfishly did anyway.
Only a few minutes later, we are leaving the hospital in Kodiak and driving back to Casper. I want my bed and to curl up with my girl. I want to hide away and forget the fucking world forever.
◆◆◆
I wake the next morning with her wrapped in my arms. We should skip out on everything today and stay right here. She didn’t sleep well last night, even when I held her. She would jerk awake and look around, then tap on my chest before falling restlessly back into my arms.
As she turns and buries her face in my neck, her lips brushing my skin, I decide we are skipping. She doesn’t like social situations anyway, and I don’t want to leave the bed. I trail a hand along the soft skin of her shoulder, and she takes a breath and rises so she’s hovering above me.
She’s so gorgeous with the way her hair is all wild as the sun shines through the strands that hang around her face.
I lean up and pull her toward me just as her phone flashes from the bedside. I growl, and she laughs as the vibration rolls through my body. She catches the strobe flashing and rolls away to answer the message that comes in.
She jumps up, her eyes wide. We are late, I’m sure, but I don’t care to leave. I lean over and try to pull her sexy ass back to bed. Rather than falling into bed like I planned, she wiggles free, the smile spreading as she shakes her head.
The phone is flipped over, and I’m forced to read Rylee’s text.
Are we still meeting at 9 at Bellamy Salon? I need some major girl time, but I also get if you and Jamison don’t want to go now.
I push the phone aside and go for Claire again. Her playful yet stern look says we aren’t playing, and she turns so all I see is her walking from my room, swaying that sexy ass away from me. As she reaches the door, though, she glances over her shoulder with a twinkle to her eyes. I’m already out of bed to follow her.
No need for words, but her body says it all. We are multitasking this morning. Because fuck, we really are late if we are still going to the wedding. I land a swift smack on her ass when she still hasn’t moved from the doorway, her gaze trained on my body instead.
It’s enough to get her moving toward the shower again, the laughter softening me a bit more as it warms my chest. If we could stay lost in these moments, hidden away from the world, I’m certain we would be okay. It’s all those other moments I’m afraid of. I’ve never been afraid of anything before, but the thought of not having Claire in my life scares the shit out of me.
Thankfully, Claire is great at distracting me. Her hands land on my body the moment we are trapped in the bathroom together. She helps me remove my clothes. So thoughtful. I work to remove the tiny little sleep shorts and tank top she wears. Her body is firm from her time running, but also soft and delicate beneath my fingertips as I grip her ass in my hand.
I drop to my knees before her and start exploring her body again. I work to taste, tease, and caress every inch of exposed skin. My tongue slides across her nipple, the little bud hardening with the movement. I take it in my mouth just as her hands bury themselves in my hair. Her hold is secure and pressing me to continue. A breathy sigh escapes. I give equal attention to both before I work further down her body. Her stomach quivers and her hands grasp the bathroom vanity for support.
She might be worried about falling, but I’ll make sure to catch her, because right now my only focus is to pull more sounds of her losing control. I slip the last material from her body and use my tongue to tease her. That earns me a wicked curse from her. It spurs me on. Fuck, her voice…I can’t get enough of it. It reaches deep into my soul, tugging on something lost and hidden, but also base need and desire.
I increase my pressure as her leg comes up to rest on my shoulder. She’s opening up more, and I get fucking greedy and determined to make her come this way. Her hips jerk and tremble.
“Jamison. Yes.” She hums, her body vibrating, and a loud moan tears from her throat. She’s so responsive, and all I think about after I make her come this way is that I want to be inside her again. I’m never going to get tired of this. She whimpers, and her body shakes with the orgasm and fills my home with her cries.
I rise and turn her around, then push her forward so she’s gripping the countertop. I make sure her hands are holding her up because my next movement is swift and sure as I slam into her. I grip her shoulder and dig my fingertips into her waist as I fuck her hard. She makes me lose it, so hungry to wring another orgasm out of her. I need it.
“Harder, Jamison. I’m yours.”
Fuck. She feels so fucking good wrapped around me. My eyes squeeze shut.
“Please don’t stop.”
And I don’t. I pick up my pace, the sweat trickling down my body. Blinding pleasure sneaks up and overtakes me. I groan as I come hard, her body tightening around me.
I lift her up and turn her to steal her mouth. Thanking her. Embracing her. Savoring her. This kiss is slow and sensual. Her hand slides down my cheek as she pulls away. Her head tilts toward the shower, reminding me of the other tasks we were supposed to be taking care of here.