Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 910(@200wpm)___ 728(@250wpm)___ 607(@300wpm)
“I never stopped loving you guys either.”
He kissed her gently. When he drew back, he winced.
Shoot. His head.
“Slade, you need to rest.”
He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
“I know you don’t like to admit to any weakness,” she said. “But you have to learn to let us help. I know you’ve held us all together. You always have. But you don’t have to do it twenty-four-seven.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Slade—”
“If I stop, something bad might happen. If I close my eyes, I might miss something. And someone might try to hurt you. You might get ill. If I’m not here and ready, I can’t help you. I can’t prevent it from happening. I have to keep you healthy and safe, and I haven’t been doing a good job of either.”
There was a bitter note to his voice.
“No? You think not? You seem to anticipate my every need before I even have it. I don’t have to stay in hospital because you arranged all this.”
“That was just money.”
“That was you taking care of me. I’ve no doubt you found the best nurse available. That you made sure they had everything they need to make sure I’m all right. You did all that, arranged everything, and you did it on no sleep. But if you want to keep going, if you want to be a hundred percent to keep looking after me you have to sleep. To be healthy.”
He glared at her and she thought she wasn’t getting through to him. Then he groaned. “Bloody hell. I don’t like that you’re making sense right now.”
She bit her lip to stop from grinning.
“Fine. I’ll stay here for a bit. But I’m not sleeping.”
“Of course not. Only us mere mortals need sleep. Lie back down,” she ordered.
His eyebrows rose. “What?”
“Just lie down. I know you’re the boss. I know you’re always in charge and you like it that way.”
“You like it that way, too,” he said.
Yep. She sure did.
Finally, he lay back and she pulled herself up into a seated position, then she started to gently rub his temples.
He remained tense for a while, but bit by bit he started relaxing.
Indie knew he needed quiet and darkness.
And that’s what she wanted to give him.
Some peace. Finally, he started to snore. It was a cute snore, he sort of puffed out air between his lips. She lifted her fingers from his head one-by-one, hoping that he didn’t wake up.
But he kept softly snoring.
Good. She’d let him rest. But right now, she desperately had to pee.
61
Indie shifted out of the bed and headed quietly to the bathroom. She just needed a few moments of privacy. Stepping into the bathroom, she used the toilet, then washed her hands before studying herself in the mirror.
God.
She looked like crap. There was no way the guys could be attracted to her like this.
She was a mess.
After spending a few moments trying to tame her hair and bring some color into her cheeks, she gave up.
Opening the bathroom door, she came face-to-face with Quaid who gave her a stern look. “What do you think you are doing?”
She glanced at Slade and brought her finger to her mouth and drew him into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
“Slade has a migraine. And he needs to sleep.”
“And so do you, so why are you walking around?”
Indie crossed her arms over chest, which wasn’t that easy with a protruding belly. But she kind of managed.
“You’re being very naughty, young lady.”
Sheesh.
Quaid really sounded like a Daddy Dom right now.
Suddenly, he stepped back and she could feel him closing off from her.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I don’t have the right to berate you.”
Maybe she should make him grovel more, but she knew that he was likely punishing himself far more than she could ever do.
“Don’t leave,” she said. “I hate this gap that is between us right now.”
“I do too,” he said. “I especially hate that I put it there. I thought I was doing the right thing by staying away from you. Then when I came home, I upset you so much you collapsed.” There was a note of pain in his voice.
Which was a huge display of emotion for him.
“It’s not your fault I fainted.”
He looked unconvinced.
“It’s not.”
He nodded, but she wasn’t certain he believed it.
Stubborn ass.
Reaching out slowly, he cupped the side of her face. She sucked in her breath. This moment felt like a turning point. Where either of them could make or break the other. Moving cautiously, she turned her head and nuzzled into him.
Part of her expected rejection. But elation filled her as he let out a quiet sigh. “You are so beautiful. I don’t deserve you. But I also can’t stay away. I want you, Indie Madden.”
“I want you too, Quaid Ashworth.”
“Let me take care of you? Please?”