I decided to give her that even though it went against every one of my instincts.
Dad sat with me because she’d made it clear to both of us that she didn’t want our help around the house while we recovered. The doctors had sent him home with instructions to improve his eating and exercise. He’d stopped caring about either of those things over the past couple of months. A psychologist had spent some time with him while in hospital. She confirmed my fears that he’d given up on life. I’d expected him to come home in a cranky mood, and he had, but it hadn’t lasted long. Carla had snapped him out of it pretty fast while I’d sat in awe of her skills.
“Heard that bed creakin’ last night,” he said. “Pretty sure the doc wouldn’t be too happy about that.” The old man always tried to stir shit up.
Carla threw me a wink and replied, “Al, for an old man you’ve got good hearing, but I can assure you Havoc wasn’t doing any of the work.”
“There was no fuckin’ work going on, darlin’, and that was the only problem about last night,” I grumbled. The doctor had given me strict instructions for no sex until at least my next appointment, which was in five days. They’d discuss it then and see how I was. I’d tried to talk Carla into a little action, but she was strictly following his orders.
“She’s just like your mother, son. No way would she go near my dick if the doctor told her not to. Bloody women.”
Carla laughed while I shook my head. “Dad, I’m all for sex and shit, but hearing about you and mum and your dick isn’t on my list of things I ever need to know.”
He shrugged. “Carla doesn’t seem to mind.”
“Nope, you talk about whatever you want, Al. I’m actually a bit surprised at your son. For a man who has the dirtiest mouth I’ve ever heard and all the right moves, you’d think he could talk about dicks till the cows come home.”
Dad grinned at me. Jerking his thumb at her, he said, “She’s a keeper, boy. You need a woman like her to keep you in line.”
I watched the smile spread across her face while Dad sat in front of me with a grin on his. For the first time in fuck knew how long, a sense of peace settled over me.
This was what happiness looked like.
I’d forgotten that somewhere along the way.
* * *
“Havoc!” Carla pushed my hands away. “No sex!”
I groaned. “You got any idea how hard my dick has been for days?” It had been four days since I’d come home and she’d pushed me away every fucking night. My cock had been permanently hard the whole time. I’d whacked off in the shower that morning after she’d refused me again.
We were lying in bed and at my question, she sat and faced me. She eyed the bandages over my wound before giving me her gaze. “I’m lucky to even have the possibility of your dick, Havoc. You nearly died on me and that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever lived through. And up until that point, I hadn’t realised how much I wanted you in my life. You’re a closed-off, moody, bossy man who doesn’t fit into any life plan I’ve ever made for myself, but fuck, I realised I want to throw all those plans out the window and make you my new plan. And as for your complaints about no sex, I don’t care how much you grumble. I’m not going anywhere near your dick until the doctor tells you it's completely safe for me to do so.”
I soaked her words in.
Hell, she was fucking spectacular. And as much as I grumbled and carried on during my recovery at her tendency to fight me at every turn, I loved the shit out of the way she stood up to me.
A piece of her hair had fallen across her face so I pushed it behind her ear. “Who fuckin’ knew I’d love a bossy woman? I’m not down with a permanent hard-on that you won’t touch, but I love everything else you just said.”
A smile slowly worked its way across her face and she bit her lip. A moment ago, she’d passionately stood up to me and now she looked at me with a vulnerability that made me want her more than I already did.
“You do?”
Fuck, her doubt slayed me.
I ignored the pain it caused and moved to a sitting position. Jerking my chin, I indicated for her to straddle my lap, which she did, with reluctance. Running my finger down her cheek, I said, “I do. I know I can be a pain in the ass most days, but I want to be in any life plan you make. I’m figuring my shit out as we go but I want to be the man you need by your side while you’re out there kicking ass. I never saw this thing between us coming, but I’m sure as shit gonna do everything I can to keep it.”
She took hold of my hand that was near her cheek. “Me too,” she whispered.
I brushed a kiss across her lips. Her mouth opened and let me in. God, this had to be one of the best places in the world to be. Kissing Carla was almost as good for me as burying my dick in her. I loved the connection I felt when our lips joined.
She pulled away, breathless. “We need to stop or else neither of us are going to be able to.”
I grinned. “That was kinda my intention, angel.”