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“No.” I kiss the top of her head. “I feel grateful and relieved too.” Among a whole host of other things. Mostly anger. But I can deal with that tomorrow. For now, she is my only concern. Fuck, she’ll always be my only concern, and it’s about time she knew that.
“When Chad told me someone had taken you—when I thought I’d never…” I choke back a sob, unable to finish the sentence. Unable to put into words the dark places my mind took me.
“I know,” she says softly, her hand resting over mine.
“No, you don’t know, Amelia.” I turn her around so she’s sitting on my lap, her legs around me. I need to be looking into her eyes when I say this. I need her to know how much I mean it. “Baby, I have never been so fucking scared in my entire life. The thought that I might never see you again. God, I’m so sorry I pushed you away. I’m sorry that I thought for a single second that I wasn’t what you needed, mi rosa. I was scared of how much I loved you. Scared of how much I needed you too.”
She blinks at me, and a tear rolls down her cheek. I brush it away with the pad of my thumb and cup her jaw. “I will always be everything you ever need, Amelia. Whatever and whenever you need it. It will always be me. Your ride or die. The other half of your heart and soul. Forever.”
Her bottom lip wobbles. “Drake…”
“I love you, Amelia. With every fucking fiber of my being, I love you. I would give my last breath to make you happy. I promise never to give up on us again, and if you let me, I will spend every second of the rest of my life proving that to you.”
Another tear leaks from the corner of her eye, and she swats it away. “Are you sure this isn’t just—” Her throat constricts as she swallows. “Are you sure this isn’t just a reaction to what happened? I know it was scary, and I?—”
I press my mouth against hers and run my tongue across the seam of her lips until she allows me entry. My chest aches at the thought of her doubting what I just said, even if she has good reason to. So I show her instead, doing exactly what I wanted to do when I saw her tied to that chair earlier and pouring every ounce of regret and longing and love for her into this one kiss. I moan into her mouth and wrap my arms around her, pulling her as close to me as humanly possible. Her skin, coated with bubbles, slides so easily against mine. It’s as though she was made to be molded to my body. Like we were carved from the same star.
She snakes an arm around my neck, kissing me back with equal passion. My cock aches painfully, desperate to take her, but now is not the fucking time. Only when my jaw is aching and the water is growing cool do I break our kiss. She blinks up at me, her lips red and swollen. I brush my fingertips across her bruised eye and swallow down the river of rage that wants to erupt out of me at the thought of anyone’s hands on her.
Tomorrow. I’ll deal with them tomorrow.
“What happened to you was the kick in the ass I needed, Amelia. I might not be the best at expressing my feelings, but believe me, they’ve always been there. From the first time you smiled at me, I was done for.”
She grins at me, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. “I think I fell in love with you during our first dance. I love dancing.”
“I know, baby. And from now on, we’re going to dance together every fucking day.”
She shifts on my lap, and my cock twitches against her. She glances down, eyelashes fluttering and a wicked smile playing on her lips.
Placing my forefinger under her chin, I tip her head back up until she’s looking into my eyes. “Ignore that. All my cock can feel is your sexy naked body pressed against him. Cocks have no idea how to read a room.”
Hurt flashes across her face. “Maybe it’s you who doesn’t know how to read a room. You don’t have to treat me any differently, Drake. And it’s been so long.”
A growl rumbles in my throat. “I’m not going to treat you any differently, mi rosa. But for now, we’re going to put some more hot water in this tub, and you’re going to let me wash your hair along with every other part of your beautiful body.” I trail kisses down the side of her throat. “And then you’re going to have some food and let me take care of that eye.”
She arches an eyebrow. “And then?”
“Then you’ll probably fall asleep on the couch, drooling.”
She swats me playfully on the chest, and I catch her wrists, my fingers running over the red dents left by the rope they used to tie her. I hate that they did that to her. I hate every single thing they did to her. I’m going to make her some new marks when she’s ready, chase away those ghosts and start writing our own history.
I yank her closer, resting my lips on her forehead. “If, after you’ve eaten a dozen exploding donut balls, you’re not asleep and you still want me to, I will fuck you hard and long and deep, Amelia.”
Her breath catches in her throat. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
Chapter
Fifty-One
AMELIA
“Drake,” I murmur as he coaxes the last tremor of my orgasm from me. He’s made me come so many times that I am now made entirely of liquid. My bones are fluid, my muscles weak, and I can barely form a word. In fact, the only word I seem able to remember is his name.
We ate Mario’s exploding donut balls and we talked and cuddled. Then, as promised, he fucked me hard and long and deep. Afterward, he fucked me slow and soft. Then he made me come with his lips and tongue. He has kissed every part of my body, caressed every inch, and told me repeatedly how much he loves me. How he’s never going to let me go again.
I feel safe. Adored. Cherished. Drake’s love language has always been sensual, but now he has added to it with actual language, telling me in words how he feels as well as with his actions.