“I do.”
He hummed as I continued to pet him, and I felt his tongue tasting the skin along the column of my neck. Little fists twisted in the front of my gown, and the exhales that paralyzed him earlier seemed to loosen their grip with each second that passed.
I made certain to keep my hands on him as I reclined backward, my head seeking the soft, cool edges of the pillow. Silas made a noise against my neck, relaxing into me as I gently tipped us backward. My shoulders found relief seconds before my head did, and though the mattress was thin, I could hardly complain about discomfort.
Not when I had my boy curled against my chest.
A shiver tore through his feeble body, and I spotted the goosebumps that rose against his pale skin. For the first time since opening my eyes, I was acutely aware of the thin sheets and the absence of a real blanket. “Where the fuck is—”
“I stuffed it in the trash can.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Your blanket.” Silas made an irritated sound. “The nurses kept covering up your leg, and I didn’t like it. It made me itchy. How was I supposed to see if you were okay if those dumb nurses kept covering it up?”
My lips tipped upward. “I see.”
“I wanted Thea to be your nurse, but she said her privileges only extended to the ER. She’s been checking on you, though.”
“How long have I been here?”
“Sixteen hours.” He shifted a little closer. “You were in surgery for most of it. Thea waited with me, and Mr. Thomas made all the doctors sign an NDA. I also sort of told everybody we were married so they wouldn’t try to kick me out of your room.”
He went rigid, and I could’ve sworn he was holding his breath. My fingers danced along his spine, and I pressed another kiss to his head to calm him. “Sweetheart, do you think you’re going to be in trouble for lying?”
“I… wasn’t exactly lying, Daddy.” Another breath escaped him, and he pulled his face from my neck with cautious, languid movements. His palms shook as he placed them on either side of my head. The tips of his hair brushed softly across my jaw when he peered down at me, a bloody lip between his teeth. “Don’t be mad.”
My eyebrow lifted.
“We sort ofaremarried.”
“Baby, I think I would’ve remembered marrying you.” I thumbed at his abused lip, tugging it until it was free of his teeth. Blood lingered in small pools across the surface, and I dragged two of my fingers through the warm liquid before painting his mouth with it.
He shuddered above me. “Daddy, I’m…” The tip of his tongue caught the ends of fingers and he sucked them into his mouth with a desperate whimper. His arms vibrated beside me, and he cleared his throat once before speaking around my fingers. “I’m trying to tell you we are married. Like for real.”
I blinked.
My fingers fell from his mouth.
Wrinkles blossomed at the edges of his eyes when he slammed them shut, his body recoiling as though what lingered on the insides of his eyelids frightened him. “Af… After you told me you loved me, I sort of forged a marriage certificate for us. It wasn’t terribly difficult. I used Thea’s signature for a witness, and I stole yours from your license. You don’t have to call me your husband if you don’t want to, but technically, I am.”
My jaw fell open.
Shock started in the tip of my toes, moving through my body like a jolt of lightning, and paralyzing me for the briefest of moments.
“We’re married?”
“Legally, yes.” His tongue lapped at the roof of his mouth, as though it was running out of moisture. “Please, don’t be mad, Daddy. I… I just really wanted to be married to you. Thea said it was too soon, but Ineededit, Daddy. Being your husband was the only thing that made my skin less itchy. I don’t… I don't know why. Thea said it’s because I probably have an attachment disorder.”
“Silas—”
“I know I promised I’d stop doing stalker-like things without your permission, and we can get divorced if you want, but I think I’d probably throw up.”
“Silas.”
His mouth clamped shut so hard, I heard his jaw click. Tears rolled down his cheeks in waves of apprehension, and I caught each of them as they fell, collecting the warm droplets on the pads of my fingers and then tasting them on my tongue.
“I love you, Daddy. I love you in the most insane, unhealthy way.”