“Please, baby.”
Tuck’s lids fluttered open.
My tears fell fast and hard. “Never been happier to see those baby blues.”
Tuck opened his mouth to speak, but a garbled croak came out instead.
I reached over to the table and grabbed the cup of water with a straw. “Here, have a small sip. They said you can’t have too much or you’ll get sick.” I lifted Tuck’s head so his mouth could reach the straw. His gaze held mine the whole time. Finally, I pulled the cup away. “Let’s see how that does. How do you feel?”
Tuck stared at me for a moment, staying silent. “Love you, Wilder.” His voice was hoarse, but the words couldn’t have been clearer.
My breath caught, and the tears that had slowed started up in earnest again.
“I’ve always loved you.” He cleared his throat, wincing at the pain but pushed on. “I couldn’t tell you. I thought I’d only bring misery and pain into your life in the long run.”
I shook my head. “No.”
Tuck squeezed my hand. “But I told you in my own way. Every time I touched you three times. Every time I squeezed your hand three times. Every time I kissed each temple and your forehead. That’s what I was telling you. One touch for each word I couldn’t say.”
My mind raced, trying to place the first time he’d given my hand a trio of squeezes, or the first time he’d given my ponytail three quick tugs, but I couldn’t. He’d been doing it for as long as I could remember.
“It wasn’t always this kind of love. But I have loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you. And now I’m going to tell you out loud, every day for the rest of my life. I love you, Jensen Evelyn Cole.”
I wanted to tackle him. Kiss him everywhere my lips could reach. But I had a feeling that was bad for people with holes in their chests. I pulled my hand from his grasp and cupped his face. I kissed one temple, the other, and then his forehead. “There has never been a day I didn’t love you. And there never will be.”
53
Tuck
THREE WEEKS LATER
“Who knew allit took was me getting shot for you to be okay with me dating your sister.”
Walker scowled at me as he helped me out of the truck. “It’s not funny yet.” He paused. “Not sure it will ever be.”
“Sorry, man.” I winced as my feet hit the ground. I was so fucking happy to be out of the hospital, but my body still had a long road of recovery ahead. And it was frustrating as hell.
Walker studied my face. “You okay?” He offered an arm to help me walk.
I pushed it aside. “I’m fine. Stop hovering.”
“I’m not hovering. I’m just making sure you don’t end up in the hospital again.”
“You guys are like two bickering old men,” Jensen called as she headed down the front steps of her guest house.
The doctors had refused to release me unless someone could stay with me. My mom had immediately offered to move me in with her, but Jensen had stood firm. My little Wilder had wanted me with her, and she wasn’t taking no for an answer. There was a small den off the living room of the guest house, and as soon as I was out of the woods medical-wise, she had set to work making it into a room for me.
I hated everyone fawning all over me, but Jensen was the one who was easiest to handle. “Get over here, Wilder.”
Jensen slid under my arm, and I turned my face so that I could brush my lips against hers. She stayed there, guiding me up the path, supporting me under the guise of just wanting to be close to me. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
Noah bounded out the front door. “Tuck! You’re here! I decorated your room for you. I drew out the whole fight sequence fromKarate Kid, and Mom helped me hang it over your bed. She said we can watch one of the movies tonight if you feel up to it. Do you feel up to it?”
I let out a chuckle. The action caused a pulling on my chest, but it didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it had a week or two ago. “I’m definitely up for it.”
The first time Noah had seen me in the hospital, he’d fallen apart, sobbing in his mom’s arms. That had hurt almost more than the gunshot wound to my chest. It had taken some time, but after some convincing, he realized that I was going to be fine. He’d taken to the idea of me coming to stay with them and the small bits of affection I’d shown to his mother remarkably well.
We were building the beginnings of a family. I squeezed Jensen’s shoulder, halting her movement, and swept my lips against hers again. “Love you,” I whispered against them, so low that no one else could hear.
