“Great. Melanie and I will be here at seven. Make sure Marj wakes up too. And keep Brooke in her room.”
“Wow. This is that big?”
“I’m perfectly willing to stay and talk to you now.”
“No. I’m not going to let you screw this up with Melanie. Now that I know what love is, I want you to have it too.”
“But how…”
He silenced me with a gesture. “I’m dying to know what you have to say to me. Don’t get me wrong. I know how devoted you are to me. I know how responsible you feel. But I’m telling you this. The doc needs you right now. And Joe, you need her.”
* * *
Melanie was waiting for me, sitting in the kitchen sipping some water. I was tired, but awake. I was glad I’d had that cup of coffee with Talon. I had so much to tell Melanie.
She smiled at me serenely, gliding her fingers through Lucy’s soft fur. Melanie was beautiful, clad in soft cotton pajamas, her face devoid of makeup, her long hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail.
How could I have even thought of letting her go? She had said we were worth fighting for. Of course we were worth fighting for. Why hadn’t I trusted her to know that? To feel that?
And it dawned on me then. That even though I loved her more than anything, to the sun and stars and back, I had never quite believed that she loved me the same. I had never felt worthy.
I had to make this work. Not just for me, and not just for Melanie, but for Talon as well. My brother knew how important this was because it was what he had with Jade. He was willing to forgo hearing my news if it meant I could work things out with the amazing woman sitting in front of me.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I said.
“Hey, yourself.”
I had never in my life pictured myself doing what I did next. I knelt before her, took her hand in mine, and laid a gentle kiss upon it. “Can you ever forgive me?” I looked into her emerald-green eyes.
“I already have.”
I laid my head in her lap, and she gently stroked my hair.
And I finally understood true love.
She stood, pulling me up with her. Saying nothing, she led me to my bedroom, undressed me slowly, and pushed me gently onto the bed. Then she unclothed herself.
So beautiful. Her breasts were rosy, her nipples red-brown and hard. My cock was thick and ready for her when she lay down next to me.
I held her naked body against me, savoring every inch of her as I stroked her, caressed her. I kissed her—not with the fervor and passion that was normal between us, but with love. Only love. Pure emotion. Our lips slid against each other’s, our tongues tangling. And when I entered her, with no foreplay other than kissing her, she was wet for me.
She clasped me so sweetly, almost reverently, as I slid in and out of her heat. Her soft sighs whispered against my cheeks, and she clamped her legs around me, drawing me farther into her.
We were one being, bonded by our love.
As I released into her, claiming her, she shattered around me, and we climaxed together.
As one.
* * *
My alarm clock went off at its usual five a.m. I’d only gotten three hours of sleep, but I had certainly functioned on less in the past. I nudged at Melanie, who was softly breathing beside me.
“Mmm,” she murmured.
“Baby.” I nudged her again. “I need you to wake up. We need to talk, and then we need to meet for breakfast at Talon’s at seven.”
She opened her eyes. “What?”