Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
He starts to move, but I hold him tight.
“Let me say this part.”
Bringing my hand up to his lips, he whispers, “Okay.”
“Being in love with you is so easy, Blake. You’re incredible. I couldn’t respect you any more than I do. You’re everything I’ve ever needed and wanted in my life, and now that I have you, I’m terrified that I’ll lose you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, sugar.”
“I think I’ve loved you since the minute I saw you on the plane. I recognized you, and I’d never seen you before in my life.”
He turns in my arms and cups my face in his hands, kissing my lips so tenderly, it brings tears to my eyes.
“I can’t stand the thought of you thinking that just because the words are hard for me, that I don’t love you so much,” I whisper against his lips. “I’ve never said them before to anyone. But Blake, you’re the beginning and end for me. When I need to talk, you’re who I want. Last night, when Ava was here talking to me about the positive test, all I could think was, Blake should be here.”
“Baby.” He drags his knuckles down my cheek and presses his lips to my forehead.
“And earlier, when Hannah Hull, who was in town today, did my ultrasound, I just wanted you to be with me. It killed me that our schedules were so jacked up that I couldn’t tell you right away. But tonight, after that … after I got hurt, all I needed was you.”
“You never have to wait for my schedule to clear, baby.”
“I know that. I know that in an emergency, I can count on you. And even though it wasn’t ideal, I was okay with waiting a couple of days to talk to you about the little bean. I just need you to know that you’re my person. You’re everything. I’m going to work on saying the words more because you deserve to hear that I love you every fucking day. You’re so damn good to me.”
His hand glides over my hip, and I can’t stop the wince that comes, making him scowl.
“Are you hurting, baby?”
“I’m sore. I’ll take it easy, and I’ll be fine.”
“Come on.” He takes my hand and leads me back to the bedroom, helps me into the bed and tucks me up against his side, and we curl together, making sure I’m off my right side. “I love you.”
He kisses my head, and I smile, feeling braver. Saying the words isn’t hard when the love is spilling out of every fucking pore of my body. “I love you, too.”
Seeing him in that room, in the dark, planning our baby’s safe place just kicked my heart over the edge.
How can I not tell him how I feel?
After an exhale, he tips my chin up and smiles softly. “Please say it again.”
“I’m so crazy in love with you, Blake Blackwell.”
“I need my car and my purse.”
Blake’s already shaking his head as he follows me out to the garage, and I sit in the passenger seat of his SUV. “You need to stay home and heal.”
“Blake. Please take me to the hospital so I can at least get my purse and fill out the forms with legal for the asshole who bruised my body.” I bat my eyelashes at him. “Please. I’m not running any marathons here. I just have to go in for a few minutes. Then we can get lunch—”
“No, then I’m bringing you home.”
“—to go from Juliet’s place. Just a grab-and-go salad or something.”
I bite my lip, but he narrows his eyes.
He’s not caving.
“The baby is craving a salad from Juliet’s place, Blake.”
“You are absolutely not going to use that excuse for the next seven months, sugar.” He grips my chin in his fingers and lowers his lips to mine, then he bites my lower lip and makes me grin. “But yes, we’ll stop and get you whatever you want.”
I brush my nose against his. “I love you.”
“Fuck, I’m so screwed when it comes to you.”
With a shake of his head, Blake walks around the car and climbs in next to me, then pulls out of the garage and heads to the hospital.
“Your wounds are fresh,” he grumbles. “I don’t like the look of that bruise on your hip, and I’d rather you were lying down.”
“I’m using arnica salve on the bruises,” I remind him. “And it does help. Don’t worry, I’m not going to throw a clot or something—”
“Don’t fucking say shit like that, Harper.” His voice is so hard and angry, all I can do is blink at him. “It’s not funny, and it happens every goddamn day from bruises less severe than yours.”
“You’re right.” Reaching for his hand, I lace my fingers through his and squeeze. “It’s not funny, and the bruises suck ass. I’m really sore today, and I’m moving slow, which I hate. I’m using the arnica. I’m taking it easy. I’m just going to go to the legal office, and I’ve already texted someone in my unit and asked them to bring me my purse so I’m not walking all over the hospital.”