by Hope Ford
“Know what?”
I lift my chin. “I want my hug.”
His eyes darken as he stares back at me, and he pulls me in for a hug. He holds me for the longest time, his hands stroking my back, my arms around his waist, his body pressed to the front of mine. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed this intimacy.
He pulls away first and lifts my chin with his fingers. “It’s not going to change. I’m going to fuck up, but I need you, Peggy. I need you in my arms. It makes everything better.”
I let out a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll see you at home, hero.”
I get in and watch in the rearview mirror as he walks back to his truck. I wait until he’s safely in before I pull out. The whole way home I’m teetering on being way too excited and then worried that I’m getting my hopes up again. After all, that kiss in the gym was the first kiss in over a year and I shouldn’t expect more of that when I get home. He’s already pushed himself so hard today. Still, that kiss caused butterflies in my stomach and has my core heating with desire.
When I pull into the driveway, he pulls in right behind me. I stand next to his truck and wait for him. “Let me grab my chair. I’ll probably need it later.”
I go to the back of the truck and help him grab the chair, and I push it in as he walks behind me.
I put it next to the recliner and set down my purse and bag. I no sooner turn around and Jeremy is right in front of me. His hand goes to the side of my face, and I stare into his eyes. “I love you, Peggy.”
I turn my face and kiss his palm. “I know you do. I love you too, Jeremy.”
He shakes his head in frustration. “No, I mean I’ve known all along I love you, but I thought you were better without me. But seeing you with that man…”
“What man?” I ask, interrupting him.
“Caroline’s father. Just seeing him next to you, next to my wife, I couldn’t handle it. I can’t let you leave me, Peggy. I love you, and I don’t want to lose you. No matter what.”
“I’m not leaving you. Ever.”
He nods and grabs my hand, pulling me to the bedroom. My heart is racing as I walk beside him.
When we walk through the doors of the bedroom, I can feel the shift in him. “You okay?”
He’s staring at our bed, but at least he doesn’t let go of my hand. He grips it tighter. “The last time we did this I had legs. I don’t know if this will be what you’re expecting, but I want you so much.”
“It’s going to be perfect, honey. Not only do I want you, but I need you too.”
I hope he can feel how much I mean the words, but when he doesn’t move, I take matters into my own hands. I begin to undress, and he watches me. My heart is pounding in my chest, but I don’t stop until I’m completely naked in front of him.
I lead him over to the bed, and he sits down heavily on the side. I remove his shirt, kissing the skin that I uncover. I stroke my hands across his chest and shoulders, and he leans back on his arms with a groan.
I hide my smile as I start to unbutton his pants. His manhood is hard and thick as I pull him out of his pants. I kiss his tip and then take him deep into my mouth. He’s touching my shoulders, caressing my boobs, everywhere he can reach I can feel him. When he urges me off him, I remove his shoes and slide my hands up his pant leg to remove the prosthetics. He freezes and lifts me away from him.
“No, leave them on.” He’s resisting, but I want to be with him so much, and I think if I can get him to focus on what is going on instead of what might go wrong, he’ll be able to continue.
But I’m already shaking my head. “They’re hurting you, and I want you to feel good.”
In a moment driven by need more than my own bravery, I arch my back, pushing my breasts closer to his face. He responds with desire. “Your mouth feels so good on me.” I grab his hand and guide it to between my legs. I’m soaked, and when he feels the slippery wetness of my pussy, he groans against my breast.
He sucks both breasts, moving from one to the other, and I’m bucking against his hand. “I need you inside me, Jeremy. Please.”
He leans back and scoots up the bed. I stand there a bundle of nerves and arousal as I watch him. He pulls his pant legs up and undoes the prosthetics. I take them and set them on the floor next to the bed. I help him with his pants, and when he’s completely naked, I stare at him in awe. He’s so beautiful, masculine and manly. He was afraid of what I would think or feel when I see him, but all I see is my amazing, handsome husband that I can’t keep my hands off of.
Jeremy
She climbs up on top of me and I lift up on my elbows. “I can—”
She pushes me backwards on the bed. “I know there are a hundred positions we can try, but I want this right now. Just lay back and let me do the work.” She wraps her hand around my shaft. “I just need you inside me.”
I can hear the desperation in her voice, and I can feel how much she wants me. But I want her just as much. I lie back and watch her as she straddles my waist and positions her core over my cock. Seeing her naked and dripping for me makes me pump my hips up to meet hers. She starts to lower herself slowly until she’s fully seated. So many emotions are going through me, and I don’t care that a tear flows down my cheek. To think I almost gave this up. I’m a stupid man.
I grab her hips and lift her up and let her fall again. She presses her hands to my chest, thrusting her hips as her breasts sway in my face. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, and she’s all mine.
I shake my head side to side and try to pull out, but she’s fully seated. “I’m going to...”
She stills over me. “It’s okay. I’m close.”
I reach between us and slide my finger along her clit. She starts to move again, and with her head thrown back and her breasts thrust out, she looks magnificent. “Fuckkkkk....”
“Don’t stop,” she begs, and I thrust my hips into her while fingering her clit.
She’s hot and wet, and when her thrusts get frantic, I know she’s close. “Give it to me, baby. Come for me.”
And she does. She moans deep in her throat as she pulsates all around me. Her pussy is like a vise as she bears down on me. “Yes,” I moan as I shoot my seed deep inside her womb.
She falls down on top of me. “Oh sorry, I’ll get off.”
“No!” I say and hold her to me. I’m still breathing hard, but it feels so fucking good. I came so hard buried inside her it was amazing.
I push the hair off her face and look at her. She looks so satisfied... so happy. The way she responded to me was just as eagerly as she had before, if not more. It’s so freeing, and for the first time in a long time, I feel whole again.
“I was a fool.”
She startles, not understanding, and I wrap my arms around her to hold her to me. I’m still buried deep inside her, and I don’t think I ever want out. “I was a fool to pull away from you when you are my other half that was missing the whole time. Yeah, my legs being gone makes life more challenging, but without you I wouldn’t have a life at all. I’m never going to push you away again or let you slip any further away than you are right now in my arms.”
She cups my cheek and leans in to kiss me. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I thought you wanted me gone, but I couldn’t leave you. You’re my other half too. I’m nothing without you.”
Epilogue
Peggy
I walk into the garage and as soon as Jeremy spots me he’s giving me that hot and heavy look that makes me wet. It’s been weeks since the basketball game, and each day we are drawing closer. Yeah, we still have bad days, and sometimes his physical or emotional therapy leaves him exhausted, but we’re closer than we’ve ever been. We really connected on a whole new level, and no matter what happens now, I know it’s going to be okay.
“Get over here,” Jeremy says, reaching for me.
If I let him get his hands on me, I’m going to forget why I came and found him in the garage in the first place. I hold his phone to my
chest, covering the speaker. “You left your phone in the bedroom. It’s Patton on the line for you, but I’ll be in the house if you want to show me again what that sexy mouth of yours can do after your call,” I tell him before handing over his phone.
He catches my wrist after taking the phone. “Stay,” he whispers to me and kisses that spot behind my ear that drives me crazy.
“Hey, Patton,” he says.
I stand in Jeremy’s arms as he and Patton catch up. I wonder as Jeremy slides his hand over my rear end if Patton has been worn down by Cora. I’ve got a good feeling about those two.
“Have you talked to Cora?” Jeremy asks him, as if reading my mind.
Jeremy
“Yeah, I’ve talked to her,” Patton huffs on the phone.
“Well, is she doing okay?” I ask him.
Patton harrumphs loudly, and I can hear the frustration in his voice. “Well, let’s see. She’s taking stupid risks, putting herself in dangerous situations, and it seems that every fuckin’ man in the hospital is trying to date her.”
“Date her?” I ask, and Peggy starts to nod and claps her hands silently together. I shake my head. She has it all wrong. She thinks there’s something between Patton and Cora, and I’ve tried telling her that it’s more a brother-sister relationship. Patton doesn’t see her that way. “She’s of age to date, Patton. What’s the big deal? And what kind of dangerous situations?”
“I’ll take care of it.” Patton says. “Don’t worry, I’m going to keep her safe, and she’s not going to be dating any of these assholes.”
I’ve never heard Patton like this before. He’s usually the calm one of the bunch. He’s very meticulous and plans things out. He almost sounds on edge. “Hey, brother. You all right? You sound... I don’t know... weird.”
He sighs. And I don’t expect him to answer me. We’re all the quiet, keep things to ourselves and let them fester type. So when he continues, I’m surprised. “Well, my best friend died, and I couldn’t save him. His little sister, who should be blaming me for not saving him, is instead driving me insane trying to get close to me. So yeah, I’m a little bit of a mess, Jeremy.”
“You like her?” I ask in astonishment. Peggy was right. I stare in awe at my wife, and she’s looking at me excitedly. I pull up a chair and pull Peggy into my lap. She sits with her head against my chest and her fingers tracing the tattoo on my arm.
“It doesn’t matter if I like her. Are you listening to me? She’s young... too young for me, and it’s my fault her brother is dead—”
“No, it’s not your fault, Patton. It’s the asshole that set the bomb’s fault. You can’t shoulder the blame for this one.”
There’s commotion on the other end, and I realize that Patton is calling me from the hospital again. “I’ve got to go.”
“Damn it, Patton. How much are you working? Talk to me... it’s not your fault. And I’ll be honest with you... Jason would be happy if you were with his sister. He’d want her to be with someone like you.”
Silence echoes back at me. “Well, we’ll never know, will we?” He takes a deep breath. “I gotta go. Talk to you soon, brother.”
The phone goes dead, and Peggy raises her head. “Everything okay?”
I shrug. “Cole has Hope. I have you. Patton needs someone to keep him grounded and out of his head.”
Peggy wraps her arms around my neck. “Someone like Cora.”
I smirk at my wife’s knowing look. “Fine, you were right, it’s obvious there’s something going on there. I just hope he doesn’t screw it up.”
She shakes her head. “He won’t. He’s pretty smart. He’ll figure it out.”
I grunt. “Yeah, Patton’s smart. But is he handsome like me?”
She opens her mouth and laughs. “Jeremy, are you jealous right now?”
“I don’t like you talking about other men.”
She leans in and presses her chest to mine. “Oh yeah? What you going to do about it?”
“Well, the kids are at camp, and we have a few hours, so I can think of a few ways I can erase any thoughts you have of other men.”
She’s already pulling at the hem of my shirt, and I lift my arms to help her. She tosses my shirt onto the floor. Her hands on my bare skin cause goosebumps on my arms. “Yeah, let’s do that.”
And then I make sweet love to my wife... the woman that made me whole again.
Stay Tuned. Patton and Cora’s book, Ravaged Hero will be releasing summer 2021. Make sure you’re on my email list to get the cover reveal and new release notice. Hope Ford’s Email List
Free Books
Want FREE books? Go to www.authorhopeford.com/freebies
JOIN ME!
JOIN MY NEWSLETTER & READERS GROUP
For Up To Date Information on New Releases, Specials, and More
JOIN MY NEWSLETTER
JOIN MY PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP!
CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY READERS GROUP ON FACEBOOK
A place to talk about Hope Ford's books! Find out about new releases, giveaways, get exclusive content, see covers before anyone else and more!
Find Hope Ford at www.authorhopeford.com
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Hope Ford writes short, steamy, sweet romances. She loves tattooed, alpha men, instant love stories, and ALWAYS happily ever afters. She has over 100 books and they are all available on Amazon.
FOLLOW ME – Click on the link or below to follow Hope Ford on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads, and more!
