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He’s wrong.
I didn’t save him. This whole mess is my fault, all of it.
I don’t regret kissing Damien that night, all those years ago. I will never regret it, because the sweet, softly snoring little girl in my arms was a result of our actions. I will never regret our daughter. I won’t regret the love that has grown in my heart for her father.
What I struggle to live with is the fact that our little girl almost lost her daddy and I’m to blame. I grew up without a father, and to be honest, I didn’t fully understand what I was missing until I saw the way Astria looked at Damien. I never knew how special that bond was until I watched it unfold in front of me. Her innocence is sacred, and whether she realizes it or not, she was so close to losing it.
I lay in bed and steal all of Astria’s sleepy snuggles. I hold her innocence in my arms and try to soak it all in. I prolong getting up and laying her down in her own bed.
God, when I close my eyes, I can still feel his lips on mine.
He got back about ten minutes ago. I heard the door to the apartment open and close, and then my phone lit up with a text letting me know it was him.
He’s not wasting any time now that he’s off bed rest. He was on the phone all afternoon, making appointments with his doctor, getting a referral for rehab, and setting up an appointment to meet with his coach.
I just hope he’s not trying to do too much too soon.
Increased risk of stroke. Potential for reinjury. Deadly blood clots. I’ve spent more time using Doctor Google than I care to admit, and that search bar is a bitch.
Ugh. I’m thirsty.
I need a glass of water. Dammit.
I wait until I hear the shower cut on and get up and put her down for the night. Luckily, I think we’ve moved past the sleepless nights of constant wakeups. I lay her in her bed and pull her favorite blanket up around her.
My sweet girl, she’s growing up too quickly. It’s so strange being a parent. My mama had a saying she liked to repeat to me when I was a little girl. She’d say, “Gia baby, these days might seem long, but I promise you that the years are short.” At the time I wasn’t sure what she was talking about. I know now.
I watch her for a moment longer, and then slowly sneak out of our bedroom, closing the door gently behind me.
“Boo!”
I jump ten feet in the air and quickly cover my mouth with my hand. If this were a horror movie, I’d be dead, because I was damn well flying instead of fighting.
“Dammit, Damien! Why are you always doing this to me?”
I smack his bare chest and the moment my skin ricochets off of his I realize my mistake.
He’s not wearing clothes.
Damien is propped against the wall in our hallway wearing nothing but a white towel, slung low around his waist.
“Why are you always so skittish, Click? Afraid of the boogeyman?”
His eyes dance in the dim light, but all I can think about is how much thirstier I just became.
“Why aren’t you in the shower?” I shout in a whisper back at him.
“Got hungry and needed a snack.” He shrugs, and his abdominal muscles dance with the movement.
My eyes are glued to the light dusting of hair over his pecs that trail down the line of his abdomen and to…I gulp. Holy Hell.
“For the shower?” My eyes are nowhere near looking at his.
I stare blatantly at the deep v that disappears beneath the towel and taunts me.
“Sure, why not? No better place to eat a turkey sandwich.” He laughs lightly, and the sound draws my eyes back up to his. My God, this man is beautiful.
“Maybe I should call back over to Chambliss. I think the doctor missed your brain damage.” I try to remain unphased, but this isn’t a fair fight. I’m completely unarmed, and he is well, very well-armed with all the right equipment.
