Page 116 of Secret Pleasure (Bound Hearts 13)

27

Alyssa approached Sebastian’s bed slowly, quietly.

His thick, dark blond hair was disheveled, mussed around his pale face. His chest and shoulders were bare but for the large white bandage over the right side where the bullet had gone in.

“He’s going to be okay?” She looked at where Francesca Connor stood at the bottom of his bed, checking his file.

Deep black hair shot with just a bit of silver was gathered in a low ponytail and trailed to between her shoulders. She was tall, five seven at least, and slender. The trauma surgeon didn’t look like a surgeon. She looked like a model.

“He’s going to be fine,” Francesca promised gently. “If he rests, doesn’t overdo things.” She shrugged. “Sebastian isn’t a good patient, though.”

“Well, he is now.” Turning a fierce gaze on him as she moved to his bedside Alyssa decided then and there he would definitely make certain he took care of himself.

He opened one eye. “I hear you’ve been in trouble.” His voice was scratchy, weaker than she was used to you. “Mom told me all about it.”

She breathed out wearily. “I t

hink we need a vacation when you get out of here, ’Bastian. Sun. Sand.”

“Barcelona,” he and Shane both said softly.

“Barcelona,” she agreed, smiling, feeling that anticipation, the warmth and freedom she hadn’t known in eight years. Then she narrowed her eyes on him. “When you’ve healed. Completely.”

“Days,” he assured her.

“Six weeks,” his aunt injected, her voice firm. “No less. More if he doesn’t behave himself and rest.”

“He’ll behave himself.” Touching his arm to feel his warmth, to know he was still there with her, Alyssa let her hand move to his, felt his fingers link with hers, and felt the prickle of tears as emotion swamped her, love filling her until she had no idea what to do with the overload.

“I love you,” she whispered, glancing at where Shane stood beside her then. “I love both of you.”

“Hey, you know how to use the l word,” Sebastian joked weakly. “Knew you had it in you.”

But his eyes were drifting closed, weakness overtaking him as he slipped back into sleep.

Leaning to him, Alyssa let her lips touch his and felt the faintest response.

“Love you, ’Lyssa,” he sighed. “Love you.”

He was going to be okay.

Beside her, Shane slipped his arm around her waist, holding her close as both of them watched over Sebastian.

They were hers. Her Goof and her Cowboy. They were hers now.

“I love you both,” she whispered. “So much.”

“Forever,” Shane vowed. “We’ll love you forever, Alyssa.”

Epilogue

FOUR MONTHS LATER

BARCELONA, SPAIN

DE LOREN HACIENDA

Shane and Sebastian stepped warily into their grandfather’s office, remembering well the last time they were called in for a meeting in such a way.