“Were you okay this afternoon, Rabbit?”
“I was nervous at times, but having Frank there helped. I even managed to wander into a few stores on my own and I was okay.”
I held her tighter. “That’s my brave girl.”
“I actually enjoyed myself. It felt good.”
“Shopping was a success, I see?”
She nodded, tilting her head up to look at me. “I got so many things for the babies, Joshua. I forgot how huge a selection there can be.”
I nuzzled her neck, my tongue swirling over her damp skin. “Tell me you bought some things for yourself, Lizzy.”
“I did,” she gasped softly as I bit down gently on her earlobe.
“Good.”
“I bought you some things as well.”
“Thank you. I love them,” I whispered into her ear huskily, earning me another shiver.
“You haven’t seen them yet.”
“Doesn’t matter. You picked them. I’ll love them.” My lips moved down her neck again.
I felt her hands tighten on mine and I pulled back. “Rabbit?”
“Was it awful, Joshua? You look so drawn,” she whispered.
I sighed and shook my head, resting it back on her shoulder. “No. It was fine. Great even.”
“Something happened. Tell me.”
I shifted and pushed her forward, only to spin her and pull her back against me so I could see her face.
“Nice move, Joshua.” She winked at me as her legs wrapped around my waist, drawing her closer.
“I still have one or two tricks up my sleeve, Rabbit.”
She smiled. “I love your tricks.” Then her face became serious. “Tell me, please.”
Quietly, I told her about the walk I took with Adam. How it felt to be standing in that alley again. What Adam had said to me, and finally, how desperately I needed to get back to the hotel and be with her.
Tears gathered in her eyes and fell slowly down her face as I spoke. After I was silent, her arms wrapped around me, drawing my head down to her neck as she rubbed loving, gentle caresses over my head and back. I pulled her tightly against me, needing to feel her loving warmth.
“Joshua, Adam is right. That is amazing. I am so proud of you, sweetheart. So proud,” Her sweet voice praised me. She pulled back slightly and looked down at me. “That wasn’t even on your list of goals.”
I shook my head. “It just happened.”
She smiled. “You are the bravest man I have ever met, Joshua Bennett. I’m so proud you’re mine.”
“I didn’t feel so brave standing there, shaking.”
“But you did it, Joshua. Even terrified, you did it. Not because you had to; you did this for you. Trina is going to be so thrilled!”
Her hands cupped my face. “I told you, sweetheart. One day you would overcome what those bastards did to you. You ended it today. You did.”
I pulled her to me, crashing my lips against hers, dominating her mouth. I needed to taste her, to fill my head with thoughts of her, of now. “I need a new memory, Rabbit,” I pleaded quietly. “Please.”
Her arms wound around my head, pulling me closer as she drew my lips back to hers. “I’m here, Joshua. I’m always here.”
Her sweetness burned into my brain as she kissed me, her velvet tongue stroking mine. Her hands gently stroked my back, touching me with so much love; I could feel it sinking into my skin, warming me from the inside. All other thoughts ceased to exist as I lost myself to her tender comfort. Wrapped in her embrace, I felt myself centre and loosen, everything else fell away. All that mattered was right now, this moment, this need, and my Rabbit. I groaned as I felt her ease herself up, wrapping herself around me, as I slipped into her warmth. Slowly, she built a rhythm for us, undulating over me. The warm water crashed around us and rained over the edge of the tub, but neither of us cared. My lips could not leave hers, my hands could not move away from her skin as we moved and rocked and loved. Rabbit’s body tensed and stilled and she threw her head back with a low, sexy moan. Watching her, I felt her pulse around me, which triggered my own release. I sighed out her name like a prayer as I held her tightly, arching up as I spilled deep within her.
She collapsed against my chest and I held her closely, leaning back in the tub, sinking below the water, warming us both. After a few quiet moments, she glanced up, smiling shyly at me from under her hair which had come loose and fell in waves around her face. She peeked over the edge of the tub and giggled. “Nice job.”
I leaned over to take a look and grinned. “Told you I had a couple tricks up my sleeve, Rabbit.”
She chuckled. “And one of them was creating Lake Joshua in the bathroom?”
I laughed. “Lake Joshua. I like the sound of that.” Leaning up, I grabbed one of the large towels hanging over my head and threw it on the floor. “That can start soaking it up.”
She smiled gently at me. “Better now?”