didn’t hurt me physically, I still couldn’t allow myself to feel.” Tessa sought Earl’s hand and squeezed it. “I trust you. I have since I met you, and that kind of scared me.” She scrunched her nose. “I wondered how I could see a big, strong man like you and trust you so implicitly from the first second I met you. Was I nuts?”
She smiled to lessen the sting of her initial doubt. “Then, in that ravine, I realized I wanted to stay alive for all sorts of reasons…” she traced his mouth with a finger, “…but the main one was you.” He kissed her finger and smiled. “I wanted to go to the Bulls game and take a chance that date would lead to more.”
Earl captured her hand and kissed the palm. “It will, baby. I’ve had a lot of women in my past. But I’ve never met one I wanted to see in my home, in my bed, having my children before. Only you.”
This wonderful man had just put himself out there. His words were a declaration of commitment, of love. He might not have said the words, but his intent was clear.
God, she could have it all … all she had to do was reach for it and hold on.
Tessa began to cry from relief and happiness.
Earl cursed under his breath. “Damn me all to hell and back. I made you cry again.” He pulled her onto his lap and rocked her. “Stop it, honey. I can’t stand it. You make my heart hurt.”
Tessa snickered against his chest and slipped a hand down to enclose his cock. “I think I make something else hurt more.”
Earl squeezed her gently. “Behave, you minx. Bath. Food and liquids. Then bed, and then we’ll see if we can take care of each other’s needs.” He slid one arm down her front and cupped her mound. “Deal?”
“Deal.” Tessa blushed and turned away from Earl’s searching and heated gaze. “Tub’s full. Can we have the jets on full?”
“You can have anything you want. Just ask.”
From the tone of his voice, she knew he meant it. Her heart beat faster, and the future looked ever brighter.
Fate, in the form of her best friend, had brought her this strong, wonderful man. She would owe Callie a big damn favor.
Name your first-born girl after her.
What a good idea.
Earl lifted Tessa and placed her in the tub. The water was warm, and she sighed as the heat soothed aching muscles and eased any remaining tension. She accepted a wash cloth from Earl. Then he got into the tub and settled himself behind her. He encircled her with his arms, his long legs lying parallel outside of hers.
She leaned back into his chest and sighed. “I could get used to this.”
“Plan on it.” Earl took the cloth from her and soaped it up, and then began washing her arms. “I’m darn sure I’m gonna want to give you lots of baths. Jesus, baby, you’ve got bruises and scrapes all over you.” He growled under his breath as he sought out each and every injury. It was the most thorough and gently intimate bath she had ever had.
“There, all clean.” He kissed the top of her spine. “Now, lay your head back on my shoulder and relax. Let me just hold you for a bit.”
And that was what she did—and he did.
Chapter 7
7:00 p.m.
Earl had leashed his libido while bathing Tessa.
It had been a fierce battle, especially when with each stroke of the cloth she’d emitted little moans and sighs that made his cock flex against her bottom and lower back. It would have been so easy to lift her and slide in from behind in a reverse cowgirl position, but he’d promised her a relaxing bath and then food.
He also kept in mind she’d been minutes away from death when they’d found her. If not for the immediate first aid in the Hummer, she could’ve gone into shock. Her core temperature had been dangerously low. The fact she hadn’t died he chalked up to her excellent physical conditioning, a strong will to live, the well-stocked medical kit in the Hummer, and plain dumb luck.
It had been too close of a call.
Bath over, Earl sat next to Tessa on the small sofa
She smiled to lessen the sting of her initial doubt. “Then, in that ravine, I realized I wanted to stay alive for all sorts of reasons…” she traced his mouth with a finger, “…but the main one was you.” He kissed her finger and smiled. “I wanted to go to the Bulls game and take a chance that date would lead to more.”
Earl captured her hand and kissed the palm. “It will, baby. I’ve had a lot of women in my past. But I’ve never met one I wanted to see in my home, in my bed, having my children before. Only you.”
This wonderful man had just put himself out there. His words were a declaration of commitment, of love. He might not have said the words, but his intent was clear.
God, she could have it all … all she had to do was reach for it and hold on.
Tessa began to cry from relief and happiness.
Earl cursed under his breath. “Damn me all to hell and back. I made you cry again.” He pulled her onto his lap and rocked her. “Stop it, honey. I can’t stand it. You make my heart hurt.”
Tessa snickered against his chest and slipped a hand down to enclose his cock. “I think I make something else hurt more.”
Earl squeezed her gently. “Behave, you minx. Bath. Food and liquids. Then bed, and then we’ll see if we can take care of each other’s needs.” He slid one arm down her front and cupped her mound. “Deal?”
“Deal.” Tessa blushed and turned away from Earl’s searching and heated gaze. “Tub’s full. Can we have the jets on full?”
“You can have anything you want. Just ask.”
From the tone of his voice, she knew he meant it. Her heart beat faster, and the future looked ever brighter.
Fate, in the form of her best friend, had brought her this strong, wonderful man. She would owe Callie a big damn favor.
Name your first-born girl after her.
What a good idea.
Earl lifted Tessa and placed her in the tub. The water was warm, and she sighed as the heat soothed aching muscles and eased any remaining tension. She accepted a wash cloth from Earl. Then he got into the tub and settled himself behind her. He encircled her with his arms, his long legs lying parallel outside of hers.
She leaned back into his chest and sighed. “I could get used to this.”
“Plan on it.” Earl took the cloth from her and soaped it up, and then began washing her arms. “I’m darn sure I’m gonna want to give you lots of baths. Jesus, baby, you’ve got bruises and scrapes all over you.” He growled under his breath as he sought out each and every injury. It was the most thorough and gently intimate bath she had ever had.
“There, all clean.” He kissed the top of her spine. “Now, lay your head back on my shoulder and relax. Let me just hold you for a bit.”
And that was what she did—and he did.
Chapter 7
7:00 p.m.
Earl had leashed his libido while bathing Tessa.
It had been a fierce battle, especially when with each stroke of the cloth she’d emitted little moans and sighs that made his cock flex against her bottom and lower back. It would have been so easy to lift her and slide in from behind in a reverse cowgirl position, but he’d promised her a relaxing bath and then food.
He also kept in mind she’d been minutes away from death when they’d found her. If not for the immediate first aid in the Hummer, she could’ve gone into shock. Her core temperature had been dangerously low. The fact she hadn’t died he chalked up to her excellent physical conditioning, a strong will to live, the well-stocked medical kit in the Hummer, and plain dumb luck.
It had been too close of a call.
Bath over, Earl sat next to Tessa on the small sofa
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