Chapter Twenty-Two

God, they’d only been home a few hours, and the man was driving her up the wall. She wanted to rest and be left alone, and he wanted to bring her stuff every other minute.

Whether his actions were fueled by guilt or not, she had no idea, and thinking about it made her head throb even more. In the blink of an eye, she’d gone from a blissfully happy submissive to two men to once again alone with not even a best friend to turn to anymore.

Which one hurt more, the loss of Thomas or Angel, she couldn’t say. Something had fractured inside her, and if she examined it too close, she might lose herself in a complete and total breakdown. Much like her friend had.

She turned into the pillow, willing the tears not to flow. She was sick of all the damned crying. After hours and hours of it, how could she have any left?

Her best friend had lain claim to Thomas, Thomas had lain claim to no one and David, well, she didn’t know if she could give to him without thinking of Thomas every moment. Where one began, the other continued until the three of them had become a cohesive unit that worked.

And if the constant pain in her chest was any indication, the sudden loss might be more than she could bear.

“I’ve brought you something to eat.”

Gabby rolled her eyes. “I’m not hungry.”

“I didn’t ask if you were hungry. I would, however, like to know if you are feeling nauseous or light headed or experiencing any sharp pains.”

Did the ache in her chest from her heart being ripped out count? “I’m fine. Just want to sleep.”

She listened to him place the tray on the bedside table he’d set up once he’d gotten her in the bed. He fussed worse than the nurses did. What part of she wanted to be left alone did he not understand?

“If you’re not nauseous then you need to eat something. It’s been a long time since lunch.”

She wasn’t going to bother telling him that her lunch had gone uneaten either. It had been more than twenty-four hours since she’d eaten, and that was fine with her.

His body walked into her line of vision, and she squeezed her eyes shut. “Please, David, I just want to be alone.”

“Open your eyes, and look at me.”

Reluctantly, she did as he asked to find he’d squatted down to her eye level. His beauty still took her breath away, and seeing the worry in his eyes triggered the impulse to comfort him. He wanted her to let him in, and eventually, she would. She wasn’t stupid. She knew she wouldn’t be able to deny him for long. She believed in his feelings as much as she did her own, although her instincts had failed her miserably when it came to Thomas.

“I’ll give you as much room as I can, but it probably won’t be what you’re hoping for. I can’t stay away from you, no matter how hard I try. I need you.”

No way was she getting any words past the lump in her throat. When would she learn that life sucked?

“You eat some of the soup, and I’ll give you some peace and quiet for a while.” His fingers brushed her cheeks, wiping the stray tears still clinging there. “You shouldn’t cry. One way or another, things will work out.”

God, how she wished she could believe in that. Giving in, she pushed to a sitting position and allowed David to place the tray over her lap. The scent of her favorite vegetable soup wafted from the bowl. Mmm…comfort food. Maybe David was right, and the food would be just what she needed.

“How’d you know this was my favorite?” She grabbed a spoon and took a bite, savoring the warm liquid sliding down her throat.

David smiled. “You had three times as much of this kind than any other in your pantry so I took a wild guess.”

“Guess that’s why you’re the investigator around here. That incredible sixth sense of yours.” She smiled even if it was a little tight.

“Careful there, or I might think you’ve been faking all evening.”

Not faking, but in a sudden moment of clarity, she realized ignoring him while he was here in her house wasn’t going to work. He knew how to push every one of her buttons, and the need she’d let bloom and grow wouldn’t be suppressed again that easily.

“Just being a realist.”

“Well, I’ll take that for now. Eat up, and I’ll get you some more pain meds and water.”

Minutes later, Gabby stared at the bottom of the empty bowl. She shrugged and pushed the tray away. Her eyes felt gritty, and already, the exhaustion of her ordeal was moving in. She curled back under the covers, trying to get warm.

“Good girl with the soup.” David lifted the tray from the bed and set it on the table next to them. “Now, take this then you can get some sleep.”

“I’m so cold.” She shivered and swallowed down the pills, chasing it with the water before handing it back to him.

“Cold, huh? I can probably help with that.” He pulled back the covers and slipped in behind her.

A thought of protest hovered but died quickly when she got the first taste of his warmth as he curled against her backside. One more night wouldn’t hurt. Tomorrow she would have to send him away, but for tonight, she could fall asleep with his fingers caressing her skin, comforting her.

David’s magic hands massaged her muscles from her shoulders and back to the backs of her thighs. Her breathing slowed, and she let some of the worries fall to the side. When his fingers slipped underneath the band of her panties, her skin flashed hot and warm with a rush of arousal she couldn’t act on but certainly could revel in. Here in his arms, she felt safe. Her shoulders relaxed, and she faded toward sleep.

Her last thought was about Thomas. David clung to her, but her arms were empty…