AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Of course,” I whispered, kissing the top of his head.
He lifted his head and placed a soft kiss on my cheek. The last few days had been a whirlwind of shared beds, either at his place or mine. We couldn’t seem to get enough of each other, and I was surprised I still had the energy to run all over the city showing properties. But tonight felt different. Tonight, Lincoln needed more than just physical closeness—he needed my emotional support.
Lincoln undressed down to his boxers and slid under the covers. I took a moment to brush my teeth, my thoughts spinning as I tried to process everything. It was still early, barely 9 p.m., but I was drained from a day of showing over a dozen properties to an indecisive couple. I needed rest, and so did Lincoln.
When I emerged from the bathroom, Lincoln was already dozing. I stripped down to my panties, then snatched his white t-shirt from the padded bench at the end of the bed and slipped it on. As I crawled into bed, I nestled against him, resting my head on his chest. I planted a few soft kisses on his pec before snuggling closer. Lincoln didn’t open his eyes, but he instinctively wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer.
“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
“For what?” I asked softly. “The comfort I offer?”
“For being you,” he murmured. “I’m not sure what my life would be without you.”
I smiled faintly, though my heart ached. I wanted to tell him he was doing just fine before we met, but now that we had found each other, I couldn’t deny how much everything had changed. Life was different now—unpredictable, intense, and undeniably intertwined with his.
CHAPTER 11
Lincoln
Islipped out of bed, careful not to wake Erika. She stirred slightly, curling up on her side as I quietly left the room. Exhaustion had weighed me down when I first climbed into her bed, but now I was wide awake, my mind racing with thoughts of my brother.
The unbelievable tale of his survival replayed over and over in my head. I was elated to have Michael back, yet the memory of when he disappeared still haunted me. I’d buried my pain back then, almost certain he was gone forever. The Atlantic was unforgiving, especially near Nova Scotia, where the waters stayed icy even in the summer.
I wandered into Erika’s living room, needing space to think without disturbing her. My hands shook as I tried to process everything. The bottle of vodka I’d left on the table earlier caught my eye, and I took a swig, hoping it would steady me. I wasn’t an emotional man—at least, I hadn’t been before Erika came into my life. She had a way of making me feel things I’d long kept buried.
“Lincoln?” I heard her soft voice call from the bedroom.
“I just needed something,” I replied, not turning around. Moments later, I felt her arms encircle me from behind, her warm hands gliding over my chest.
“I understand. Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked, her voice gentle.
“You had a busy day, and I knew you needed your sleep,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Are you thinking about Michael?” she asked, her tone laced with concern.
“I can’t stop,” I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could rein them in. “How long was he in the water before he was picked up? Did he think he was going to die?”
“Those are questions you need to ask him,” she said softly.
“I know, but not now. I have my brother back, and that’s all that matters,” I said, trying to convince myself as much as her.
Erika pressed a kiss to my neck, her fingers grazing my nipples in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. It was soothing, yet it also stirred something else in me. I felt my body react, my erection slowly growing in response to her touch.
“Would you like to?” she whispered in my ear, her breath warm against my skin.
“I think we can wait until tomorrow morning,” I murmured, though I could feel my resolve wavering.
“Newsflash, Elliott. It is tomorrow morning,” she teased, her lips brushing against my ear.
She was right. When I first got up, it was just after 1 a.m. A part of me wanted to give in, to lose myself in her, but it didn’t feel right—not now.
“Can we just go to bed?” I asked, needing something more than physical release. “I want to hold you. I need the connection.”
“You have it whether we’re together or not,” she assured me, her voice tender.
Erika let me go, and I set the vodka bottle back on the coffee table. She held out her hand, and I took it, letting her lead me back to the bedroom. I’d thought about how much I liked—maybe even loved—this woman countless times in the past few weeks. It seemed ridiculous to fall so quickly but love at first sight ran in the family. Michael had fallen hard for Morgan, and Talon was smitten with Storm.
In bed, I curled around Erika, tucking my hand under her side to pull her close against my chest. She made me feel safe, comforted—like everything might just be okay.
