Finding Him: Second Chance Billionaire Romance (Finding Love Book 1), page 22
I can’t even begin to fathom the cluster-fuck that’s raging in her head right now. “Take all the time you need.”
“Thank you.”
“And if you need an ear, I have two.”
A small laugh falls from her lips as she lifts her face to look up at me. “I’m so glad I have you, and your two ears.”
Leaning forward, I brush my lips against hers. “I’m glad I have you too.” The prospect of almost losing her has only cemented how much she means to me.
The rest of the drive is travelled in silence, and I’m relieved when the taxi pulls up outside my apartment building. I’m exhausted and running on no sleep. A hot shower and some rest will do us both a world of good.
I hand a fifty to the driver. “Keep the change,” I say, before sliding out and reaching for Brooke’s hand. “Let me help you.”
When we step out of the lift, Jill comes rushing out of the kitchen. “Is that you, Mr. Cavanagh?”
“Yes, Jill.”
As she rounds the corner, her face lights up the moment she sees I’m not alone. Opening her arms, she rushes straight for Brooke, pulling her into an embrace. “I’ve been beside myself with worry.” When they part, I see tears fill Jill’s eyes as they scan over Brooke’s face. “My poor sweet girl.”
The nasty bruise on her cheek looks worse, and the swelling has barely subsided. The doctor removed the bandage from around Brooke’s head before we left, re-dressing her wound and covering the stitches with a waterproof patch.
“It’s just a little bump. I’m okay.”
Jill’s gaze moves to me, and I can see the concern on her face, but when I shake my head, she takes a step backwards. I’m grateful when she doesn’t pry any further. We both know Brooke’s playing down her injuries. I’m not even sure why, but if that’s what she needs to do to get through this, then so be it.
Jill dabs her eyes with the tea towel she’s holding. “Are you hungry? I’ve been cooking.”
When Brooke doesn’t answer, I step forward. “We’re a little tired right now, Jill.”
“How about I plate it up and you can reheat it when you’re ready?”
“Sounds great.”
“I’ll leave you both to it.”
“Thanks, Jill.”
“Yes, thank you,” Brooke adds, reaching out and placing her hand affectionately on Jill’s arm.
“It’s good to have you home, dear.”
I second that.
“It’s good to be home.”
I reach for Brooke’s hand and lead her up to our room. “I might have a bath before lying down if that’s okay,” she says.
“Of course, anything you want.” I place a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll run one for you.”
I still can’t bring myself to look at the clumps of dried blood lingering in her hair. I need to try and bury all those horrible images from that night. It’s the only way I’m going to be able to cope.
Leaving her in the bedroom, I head into the en suite. She’s unusually quiet, and that worries me. Hopefully, when she’s ready, she’ll open up.
A few minutes pass before Brooke joins me in the bathroom. She wraps her arms around herself as she comes to a stop just inside the doorway.
“The bath is almost ready,” I say. “I put some bubble bath in there. I hope that’s okay.”
“Perfect.”
“I’m going to have a quick shower.” I undo the buttons on my shirt as she stands there watching me. “Would you prefer it if I used one of the other bathrooms?”
“Don’t be silly,” she says. “This is your bathroom.”
“If you’d prefer to be alone …”
She closes the few steps separating us and there’s a vulnerability in her eyes that wasn’t there before. “I’d rather you stay.”
“Okay.” Slipping out of my shirt, I drop it to the floor. I must remember to tell Jill to throw it out. Even if she manages to remove the blood stains, I want the shirt gone.
Brooke slides both her arms through the holes in her top. “Let me help you with that,” I say, grabbing the hem and gently pulling it up and over her head.
“Thank you.”
“How about you join me in the shower until the bath is ready? I can help you wash your hair.”
Since she hyperventilated at the hospital, things have shifted between us. I now feel like I’m walking on eggshells. It could be my paranoia, but the last thing I want to do is overstep my mark or upset her again.
“I’d like that,” she says, with a small smile.
Reaching into the shower, I turn on the water to warm it up, before fully undressing.
Brooke follows me into the stall. “Turn around.” I lift the shower head out of its cradle as I speak. “Can you tilt your head back slightly?” The dressing over her cut is sitting right on her hairline.
She places her hand over the area, protecting it further, inadvertently giving me a close-up view of the mark on her wrist where she was bound. There’s also a large hand shaped bruise on her upper arm. I’m riddled with guilt for not being able to protect her. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to shake that feeling.
“The warm water feels nice,” she says, but my eyes are focused on how it turns red as it runs down her back and pools around her feet. A lump forms in my throat as I hang the shower head back on the cradle and reach for the shampoo. The suds turn pink as I gently massage her scalp. “Mm, you have magic hands.”
Usually, a moan from her would spark a reaction from me, but I’m too traumatised to feel anything but immense sadness and guilt.
Once the shampoo and conditioner are rinsed from her hair, I place a soft kiss on her shoulder. “There you go.”
She turns to face me. “Let me wash you.”
My eyes dart to the now almost full bath. “Looks like your bath is ready.”
“Oh.” She pauses for a moment as she studies my face before turning and exiting the shower stall.
I feel bad as my eyes follow her across the bathroom. I don’t even know why I just rejected her, but that’s most certainly what I did. Having her hands on me is something I usually crave. I hope she didn’t notice, but my gut tells me she did. The slump in her shoulders as she walked away from me spoke volumes.
Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back and let the hot water run over my weary muscles, as I yet again unsuccessfully try to clear my head. My gaze is drawn back to Brooke the moment my eyes reopen. She’s watching me over her shoulder. The look of uncertainty on her face tugs at my heart.
Quickly washing, I turn off the water and step out. I’m not sure why I feel the need to put some space between us, but I do. Her eyes follow my every move, but when I reach for my towel, her gaze drops down to her lap and I’m pretty sure I hear a sigh.
Fuck.
“Do you want some company?” I ask.
“Please,” is her only reply as she scoots her body forward to make room for me. I can clearly see she’s traumatised, and I’d be an arsehole if I walked away from her now. We’ve both been through a harrowing experience, and the best way for us to get through this is together. I’m determined to show her that I am here for her to lean on whenever she needs me.
My legs straddle her hips as I position myself behind her, but she immediately turns her body to face mine. “Are you okay?”
“I will be,” I admit as my eyes meet hers. The marks on her face churn me up inside. “How about you?”
She shrugs. “I just have a lot going on inside here.” She points to her head, and I can relate to that.
“Yeah, me too. Seeing you unconscious and bleeding on the floor, plus what happened with my uncle and Jake … it’s really fucked me up.”
She reaches up and runs her fingers through my wet hair. “I’m sorry you had to see all that.”
“I’d go through it all again in a heartbeat if it meant I’d get you back.”
“Thank you for coming for me.” Her legs slide up until they’re straddling mine. “I don’t know where I’d be now if you hadn’t.”
“Finding you was my only option.” My arms encircle her waist as I pull her body against mine. “I only wish I’d gotten there sooner.”
My eyes again gravitate towards her injuries, and that sickly feeling settles in my stomach once more.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. You did the best you could. I shouldn’t have left the way I did.” She bows her head. “I didn’t even think about Jake when I fled. I just needed to …” Her words drift off, but I know what she was going to say. She needed to get away from John.
My hands cup her face as I bring her lips down to mine. I don’t want to talk about this now. There’s plenty of time for that tomorrow.
She moans into my mouth when I deepen the kiss, but when my cock stirs, I draw back. “Turn around and I’ll wash your back.”
She looks puzzled as her eyes meet mine but eventually does as I ask. I move her hair to the side, draping it over her shoulder, before reaching for the body wash. Leaning forward, I place a soft kiss on the side of her neck as I lather the soap in my hands.
I just pushed her away for a second time. Fuck.
I’m sitting on the edge of the bed when Brooke exits the bathroom after drying her hair. Standing, I pull back the covers. “You need your rest,” I say.
“You’re not joining me?”
I’m dead tired, but I know sleep won’t come easy. “I’m going to go downstairs and do some work. I really need to check my emails.”
“Oh.”
I wait until she climbs into bed before pulling the sheets up to cover her. When I lean down to kiss her cheek, she turns onto her side, giving me her back.
Sitting down on the side of the mattress, I run my fingers through the strands of her hair. “I won’t be long.” When she doesn’t reply, my hand moves to her shoulder. “Hey.”
“Take all the time you need,” she says, but I don’t miss the crack in her voice as she speaks.
“Brooke.” Again, she doesn’t answer. “Babe, turn around.”
“Why?”
“Please.” When she ignores my plea, I rise and walk around to the other side of the bed. Her eyes are closed, but when she swipes her finger underneath one of them, I know she’s crying. Without hesitating, I pull back the covers and climb in beside her. A small sob escapes her as I gather her in my arms. “Don’t cry,” I whisper, placing my lips on her forehead. “It kills me to see you like this.”
“If you’d rather me not be here, I can go.”
“What? No.” Drawing back, I slide my hand under her chin and raise her face to meet mine. “I want you here. Why would you think I didn’t?”
Even though I asked the question, I know exactly why she’s feeling that way. “You’re acting weird.”
“I want you here,” I repeat, as my lips brush against hers. When her eyes scan mine, searching for the truth, I say it again. “I want you here.”
I’m not sure what’s going on inside my head, but I mean what I say. She belongs here with me.
“Make love to me,” she whispers.
“The doctor said you need to rest.”
“Please. All I need is you.”
“I need you too, but there will be plenty of time for that when you’ve recovered.”
She sighs, before diverting her gaze. “I need you to help me forget.”
“Jesus,” I say, pulling her body closer. What does she mean by that? Did Jake do something to her? Beyond what we already know.
“Please.” She pushes me onto my back and straddles my lap.
“I don’t think so,” I say, gently rolling her back down onto the mattress. When her face drops, I know she thinks I’m rejecting her again. “If we’re going to do this, I’m doing all the work.”
“Huh?”
I grin when I see the confusion on her face. If this is what she needs then I’ll give it to her. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for this woman. “The doctor said you’re not to overdo it.”
“But—”
“Shh,” I say, placing my finger on her mouth to halt her protest. “My way or no way.” I chuckle when she sucks my finger into her mouth, before softly biting down on it. “Sit up.” Pulling myself onto my knees, I slide the t-shirt she’s wearing over her head before gently laying her back down. “Just lie here and relax.”
My lips brush hers before I disappear under the sheets. I’m going to caress every inch of her luscious body as I make my way down south. And by the time I’m done, the only thing she’ll be able to think about is me.
Chapter 37
Logan
“Oh god,” she moans as she tugs on my hair. I know she’s close because her trembling legs are now gripping my head like a vice. My tongue movements quicken as I slide two fingers deep inside her little piece of heaven, crocking them so I can hit her g-spot and it’s enough to send her over the edge. “Hot Stuff,” she cries loudly as I milk every last drop of her orgasm. I could do this all day with her and never tire.
Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I make my way back up her body. “Are you okay?” I ask, popping my head out of the sheet. The huge, contented smile I see on her face tells me she is.
“I’m more than okay,” she pants. She grabs hold of my face, pulling it towards hers. “You’re so good at that—the best I’ve ever had.” Her words make me chuckle, but at the same time, they spark something inside me. Jealousy. The mere thought of her doing this with another man makes me borderline crazy. She’s mine.
Settling my body between her legs, my mouth softly meets hers as I push all those thoughts out of my head. I’m still unsure if we should be doing this, but if this is what she needs, there’s no way I’d deny her. Truth is, I could use the distraction myself.
Pulling out of the kiss, I reach over to the bedside drawer. My need to be inside her is overwhelming. She watches my every move as I place the foil packet between my teeth and tear it open.
“You still want to do this?” I ask before going any further.
“Absolutely. I need you now more than ever.”
“Jake didn’t, you know … touch you, did he?” I’m not sure how I’ll cope if she says yes.
She shakes her head before answering. “I don’t think so. But I was unconscious most of the time.”
Leaning back on my haunches, I gently lift her torso off the bed, enfolding her in my arms. Once again, images of her lying bleeding and unconscious on the floor flash through my mind. “I love you,” I whisper.
She tilts her head back, gazing up at me. “I love you too.”
It’s the first time she’s said it back. In my heart, I felt she did, but there was always that small seed of doubt.
“You do?”
“With my whole heart.” When her arms encircle my waist and she buries her face in my chest, I hear her sniffle.
“Babe.”
“I was worried I’d never get the chance to tell you how much you mean to me.”
I’m struggling to hold back my own emotions as I think about how close I came to losing her. “I’m so glad you got the chance. I don’t know how I would’ve coped if things turned out …”
Laying her back down, I cover Brooke with my body. Our eyes remain locked as I drape one of her legs around my waist and line myself up. This is the moment I’ll savour. I’m thankful for our second chance.
My lips meet hers as I slowly sink inside her, filling her completely. Her eyelids flutter closed when I withdraw slightly before pushing all the way back in. This is my favourite place to be. I’ve never felt so connected to anyone, as I do her.
“My life would be meaningless without you in it, Brooke,” I say, gently brushing the hair back from her forehead. She’s turned my whole world on its axis.
“I feel exactly the same,” she whispers, tears once again filling her eyes.
“Knock, knock,” Brooke says from the doorway of my home office. Spinning my chair around, I face her. “Sorry,” she mouths when she realises I’m on a call.
Smiling, I signal with a crook of my finger for her to enter. Pushing my chair away from the desk, I tap my lap. I had Claire rearrange all my appointments so I can work from home for the next few days. There was no way I could leave Brooke; she’s been clingy, and I can tell she is not ready to be on her own. If I’m honest, I need her near me too.
I slide my arm around her waist when she seats herself, and place a soft kiss on her shoulder. The swelling on her cheek has gone down considerably overnight, but the bruises on her face still disturb me.
“I’m grateful they agreed to an early settlement,” I say to Steve, my real estate agent. “It’ll give me some extra time to do the modifications. If you could courier the contract over, I’ll sign it and get it straight back to you.”
“I’ll get on that now,” he replies.
“Talk soon, and thanks again.”
I’m so happy with what he has found me. The large building at Petersham was originally a furniture storage warehouse built in 1905, so the open floor plan has ample space for me to work with. It comes with a decent-sized car park around the back, which will be perfect for what I have planned.
It’s about a twenty-minute drive with traffic from the penthouse, so not as close as I would’ve liked, but it’s in great condition for its age. That and the sheer size of the place is what sold me in the end. I have limited time to get this project completed, so anything that needed major structural changes or repairs wasn’t an option.
“I’m sorry I interrupted you,” Brooke says, once I end the call.
“Never,” I say. “I was just talking to my real estate agent.”
“Oh. Are you thinking of moving?”
“No, I’m happy here. You’re happy here, right?”
“Yes, why?”
“Just curious.”
“That reminds me. I need to think about sorting my place out too. If the leasing agent calls a surprise inspection on me, I’m screwed.”
Neither of us has been back to her terrace house since it was vandalised.
“I can sort that out for you.”
“You’re sweet,” she says, resting her palm on the side of my face, “but I can handle it.”
