Man of Honor (Passion in Paradise Book 4) by Sarah O'Rourke Page B

priority.  “Do you think you can pace yourself
if you stay there?”
    “It’s not like you
won’t have at least one person bird-doggin’ me everywhere I go, so in the
interest of savin’ us all some time, I’ll say yes.”
    “Good girl,” Zeke
murmured, brushing his lips against her forehead as he rose from his knees in
front of her.  “I like the idea of Abel and Patience’s place.  There’ll be
plenty of room for me, too,” he dropped in conversationally, enjoying the way
Honor’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes got wider.
    “Wh-what?” she
stuttered.
    “You heard me,”
Zeke offered easily.  “You didn’t think that you were gonna get out of here and
everything would go back to the way it was, did you?  I told you, Kitten, I’m
done fuckin’ around where you’re concerned.”
    “I…you…Zeke, no!” 
Honor finally managed to blurt.  “You can’t!”
    “I can, and I
will,” Zeke declared firmly, propping his hands on his hips as he stared down
at her.  “In fact, I’m going to step out and call Abel after I get those nurses
workin’ on your discharge papers,” he continued with a nod as he pulled his
cell from the pocket of his flannel shirt.  “Start getting your things
together, Honor.  I’ll take care of everything else,” he said over his shoulder
as he headed for the door.
    “What?  No.  Zeke,
wait!  You can’t do this,” Honor urged, rising as she tried to intercept him. 
    “It’s already
done, Honor,” Zeke dismissed her, closing the door on her protests while he
grinned from ear to ear.  He’d clearly knocked his Kitten for a loop with the
announcement that he wouldn’t be simply dropping her with her sister and
leaving.  Which might be a good thing.  Maybe keeping Honor off balance was the
key to advancing their relationship.  Either way, Honor McKinnon was going to
have to get accustomed to having him around for a good long while - - like for
the rest of their lives.
    ~**~
    Things had moved
swiftly after a quick chat with Honor’s nurses.  His woman’s doctors had no
problem releasing her into Zeke’s care, sending the patient home with a handful
of prescriptions and an order to rest heavily for the next two weeks.  Honor
hadn’t been happy about the directives to take it easy, but she’d been so eager
to put the hospital in her rearview that she’d have agreed to supper with the
Devil if it got her out of there quicker.
    A twenty-minute drive
later, they arrived at Abel and Patience’s new place, a sprawling house on a
large expanse of land.  Clearly, Abel was putting down roots with his new
family, and Zeke found himself momentarily envious.  One day, he hoped to be
able to do much the same thing with the woman he loved.  In the meantime, much
to Honor’s embarrassment and Patience’s amusement, Zeke had insisted on
carrying her, bridal style, of course, up the stone steps and across the
threshold of the Turner home.  Thankfully, Aunt Orla had already prepared one
of the guest rooms for Honor’s use that morning and after a minimum of fuss,
he’d gotten his girl situated in bed.
    Per Zeke’s request,
Abel had made sure to move an oversized loveseat into the room opposite Honor’s
bed.  A quick, but grateful look at it confirmed that it was going to be a hell
of a lot more comfortable than that torture device of a recliner he’d been
sleeping in at the hospital.  After a flurry of hugs, kisses, and goodnights,
he’d gotten Honor still enough to drift off to sleep.  He’d sat across from her
bed for most of the night, staring at her while he contemplated what his next
move should be, both personally and professionally.  And when his eyes had
gotten heavy and they’d fallen closed for the last time of the night, he’d been
no closer to answers on either score.  He was gone before she opened her eyes
in the morning.
    For three days this
went on before his woman caught on to the fact that he wasn’t leaving her