“They’re solid.” She grinned. “Most people like my brand of therapy.”
He grunted. She laughed. “All right, I’ve given you enough to think about. Go do what you gotta do and send Daisy in.”
He shook his head, walked out of the dining room, towards the stairs. “Daisy-girl? Molly wants you.”
She appeared at the top of the stairs, then started to race down them as she liked to do. He scowled.
“Slow down,” he demanded, reaching out to grab her and lift her down the last few. Then he gave her a sharp smack on the ass. “I catch you running down the stairs like that again and you’re gonna spend the day walking around with a plug in your ass. Let’s see if that slows you down.”
Her eyes widened. Then a smile crossed her face that was so large, so beautiful he felt it fill his heart. Yeah, Molly was right. She needed him. All of him.
And he needed to somehow get rid of this guilt.
“I’m gonna go call Bain.” He gave her a brief kiss but this one was hard, with some tongue. When he stepped back, she was swaying. He started up the stairs, then stopped as he heard her whisper.
“Molly is a fricking miracle worker.”
He didn’t turn to look at her as he spoke, “Oh, and sugar?”
“Yes?”
“Afterwards, we’re gonna have a chat about all the rules you’ve broken lately. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
“Well, shit.”
For the first time in a week he found himself grinning.
* * *
She really did not think this through well.
That was her thought as she stood between Jed’s open legs. He was sitting on the sofa. She’d finished her session with Molly, then made them a quick dinner of burritos. Jed had come down some time later and she could tell almost straight away he was different. He was moving easier. There was still some way to go, of course. It wasn’t an instant thing. But he walked straight over to her, pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
The kiss was hot. It was damned hot. Her nerve endings were still sizzling. And she hadn’t been happy when he’d pulled back. But they’d sat and ate dinner. And it felt normal.
She so badly needed normal.
Which was crazy when you considered her life. After dinner, he’d cleaned up while he’d sent her upstairs, with a warning to walk not run, to put on her nightie and get ready for bed then meet him in the lounge. Considering it was only seven at night, she hadn’t reacted well. She’d ended up receiving several smacks to her ass, before being sent upstairs to get ready.
And now here they were, her standing between his open legs, staring down into his stern face.
“Want you to know something, sugar.”
She frowned slightly but nodded. “I may not be the easiest guy. May not be the most communicative. But I always want what’s best for you. That’s my job. To look after you. Give you what you need.”
“I want to do that for you, too.”
“I know you do. So you have to know you can come to me about anything.”
She bit her lip. “Are you mad about me talking to Molly?”
He frowned. “Babe, she’s your therapist.”
“I mean, about us. You.”
“Nope. Not mad. Not at you. Upset with myself because I didn’t make it easy for you to come to me.”
“You’re hurting too.” Maybe more than she was.