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He bit back the pain and put his hand over hers. “Yes.”
“Then let me help you.”
“You’ve done so much for me already. I don’t want to be another thing you have to take care of.”
“Isn’t that what a relationship is? You agree to be there for the other person. It’s not always fifty-fifty. Sometimes one person needs more than the other. Right now, you need some ibuprofen and a good back rub to work out those knotted muscles.”
His back hurt so bad, and she seemed so sincere, he was ready to beg. “Please, Shelby. Can you help me? Because this is agony, and all I want to do is numb the pain, but going down that road leads me to ruin, and I don’t want that.”
“I don’t want that for you either. That’s why I’m here. Let me settle Eliza with some dinner and get what I need for you.”
He nodded. Big mistake. It set off another round of spasms.
Shelby leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Be still. Relief is on the way.”
“It got here a couple minutes ago. Just seeing you... it always makes me feel better.”
“We’ll see if you still think that after I work on those tight muscles, or if you think I am the terrorist you thought I was when I woke you.”
He shouldn’t smile at that, but he did. “You scare me more than them.”
She cocked her head. “Why?”
“Because I need you,” he admitted.
She leaned down and kissed him softly. It was the first time she’d done so without him starting things first. She pressed her forehead to his and looked him in the eye. “You scare me, too, because I want to be needed by you.”
He didn’t care how much it hurt. He reached up, took her beautiful face in his hands, and pulled her back in for a kiss that told her how much he needed and wanted her.
And if he was capable of moving without yelling in agony, he’d show her how deep his need ran for her.
Chase chuckled against Shelby’s lips when Eliza nudged her way under his arm and laid her cheek on his chest.
“Dada, fly.”
Shelby backed away, giving Eliza room to plant her hands on his chest and stare down at him.
“I’m sorry, baby, but Dada is hurt. I can’t fly you in the air right now. But Mama is going to make me feel better, and maybe tomorrow we can play.” If only he could move.
She gave him an amused smile and head shake. “I don’t think you’re going to be in any shape to do the things you want to do for a couple of days.”
He slid his hand up her thigh and squeezed her hip. “You have no idea how motivated I am to feel better.”
She brushed her fingers over his hand, placed it gently on his belly, stood, and stared down at him, that sweet smile still on her lips. “We’ll see how you feel after I get my hands on you.”
“Now you’re flirting with me.”
She giggled. “I’ll be right back.” She left him with Eliza, who found it fascinating to pull and push thedrawer open and closed on her dresser. His head began to pound along with the annoying sound.
He hated being laid out like this and not delivering on dinner. It seemed he fell short too often with Shelby, and she had to come through for him.
Shelby returned a minute later, carrying a bag and a glass of water. “Any chance you can get up and walk to your bed?”
“If I could, I’d take you there with me.”
Shelby glanced at Eliza, then stared down at him. “I need you to be straight with me right now. One to ten, what’s your pain level?”
He sucked it up and admitted, “Eight.” He could really use some good drugs about now, but that wasn’t going to happen.
