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.People say that eyes are the windows to the soul.For me, looking into London’s eyes was like looking into my future.I wanted my children to have those eyes and that blanket of thick, dark hair.It took a bit of effort but I slid my arm from under her head and tunneled my fingers into her lovely hair.Slowly, her eyes blinked open.When she saw I was awake her eyes opened wider and she smiled.Tears filled those ocean eyes and leaked down the side of her face.I shook my head.“No … don’t cry.” The words were feather light, barely making a sound at all.My Beauty bit her lip and clasped my cheek.“Would you like a drink?”I nodded and she got a pink cup and gave me a sip of water.I sucked it down as if I was in a drinking contest.“Better, thanks.” My voice sounded scratchy but I didn’t know why.“What happened?”“You remember we hit that tree, right?” I nodded and she continued.“We were taken to the hospital, and you spent the last couple of nights in a medically induced coma.Then your kidney was going to fail.You needed a transplant,” Her voice caught on that last word and I knew it was bringing up seriously painful memories for her.“But I only had one kidney, I gave mine…““You donated one to your sister.Yeah, we found that out.” Her eyes squinted in what looked like irritation.“They had to add you to the national list, but your blood type is rare.”“Yeah, B negative.So a kidney came through?”My girl smiled wide and held my hand, bringing it to her cheek, then rubbing it against her warm skin.“Yes, one did.A living donor.”“Huh? How? My family? Only Em and I have the same blood type.” Things were not making sense.“It wasn’t a family member.”The information floored me.It didn’t add up.“I don’t understand?”“Well, all of us tried.Me, Aspen, Hank, Oliver, Dean…““Aspen’s pregnant.They would never let her.”“Yeah, she was pretty pissed, too.She actually has B negative blood, but they wouldn’t operate on a pregnant woman.I think she just didn’t want to feel useless.But it turned out one person did match perfectly.”I thought about the people in my life who would potentially be willing to donate a kidney in such short notice.Whoever it was, I sure as hell owed them a lot.My life for one.“Tripp.”“What about Tripp?” His name sent tingles through me, bringing my fighter instincts to the fore.We’d made amends but it would still be awhile before I would consider him a good mate.“He gave you his kidney this morning.”You know that moment where a balloon is filled to the extreme and there’s no possibility of pushing more air into it and yet you blow harder, forcing, and then it explodes? That happened when those words left her sweet lips.My bloody head fucking exploded.“You’re pulling my prick,” I said, deadpan, trying to assure her I didn’t think her words were funny.“No, I’m not.Believe me, if I was, you’d know it.” She grinned and winked.“I…there aren’t words.I…I’m, uh, surprised.Tripp?” I searched her face to see any hint of humor or joking.There wasn’t any.“Why?”She took a deep breath and visibly swallowed.Her hand pulled a thick lock of hair, then twirled it around her finger.Nervous, even with me.Such a sweet woman.God I loved her.“He said he wanted to give me back life.That he owed me for helping him all these years.He didn’t want me to lose you.”“But, he could have died…““You would have died, Collier.I can’t bear the thought that I’d lose you, too.”“Come here.” I held out my arm and she laid her head in the crook of my neck.She smelled of cinnamon and sadness.“Baby, I’m not going anywhere.But it looks like I’m going to have to do some serious groveling to your best mate.”She chuckled and sighed.“I love you, Collier.I’m sorry I was scared to admit it before.”“Oh Beauty, I love you so much.Forever more my dear.Forever more.Now get that sweet arse up here and let me hold you.I’m so bloody tired.Having you near will help me sleep.”“Won’t it hurt?”“It hurts me not having you closer.Besides, you’re tiny.There’s plenty of room.”And there was.She fit right along the length of my body.Her cast over my waist did hurt so I moved it between us.“How bad were you hurt, love?”“Not bad.Just the arm.Sore ribs.Bruises and bumps mostly.”“When we get out of here, I want to kiss every last one of them.And then you can kiss mine.We’ll make each other better, yeah?”“I’m already better.You’re alive, here with me.That’s all I’ll ever need.” Her eyes closed as she snuggled into my chest.I played with her hair until we both fell blissfully asleep lying next to one another.EpilogueTwo months later…During those moments when you’re faced with death, we humans are compelled to make promises to ourselves, to God, to whomever will hear our pleas.I did that when presented with the possibility that I’d lose the first man I’d loved since losing James.Then again, when confronted with losing my best friend in the entire world.No woman should have to deal with those things.So yeah, I made promises to God, to Collier, to Tripp, but mostly to myself.I think I’ve stuck to them.But I deserve a fucking medal of honor for spending the last two months playing nursemaid to two very opinionated and outspoken men in pain.Between Tripp’s incessant whining about pain because he only allowed himself a half a pain pill every eight hours instead of the requisite two every four to six hours, he’s been a regular thorn in my side.Then there’s Collier, who spent more time than not fighting with me about helping him.Finally, the cavalry showed up.Aspen sent a sexy assed nurse in to take care of Tripp while I took care of my man.Honestly, I’d almost rather take care of Tripp.At least with him, I didn’t want to kiss him as much as I wanted to throttle him.And Collier’s been the handsiest patient in the entire world.Every time I try to re-tape his ribs, he grabs a handful of ass, bites at a nipple while I’m leaned over him or skims those sexy full lips along my neckline.It’s maddening.Not being able to act on this newfound love has been complete and utter torture of the worst kind.At week four, I couldn’t take the sexual tension anymore and held him down while I sucked him off then let him reciprocate by leaning on his side and kissing me while fingering me into oblivion.It barely took the edge off.It’s not the same as having your man fully joined with you.Today, eight weeks into his recovery, I’m taking my man and riding him into the sunset.Enough is enough.His ribs have mostly healed, just a bit sensitive.My cast was removed two weeks ago.His casts were removed last week.He’s been living with me and Tripp for two solid months.It was easier than going back and forth between his apartment and ours [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]