And I would spend the rest of my life thanking my lucky stars that one day he’d decided he wanted me.
Sasha had been so worn out by his physical therapy session that he’d spent most of the afternoon napping in the downstairs bedroom specifically outfitted for him until he was strong enough to make the trek up the stairs to the master suite.
Anytime he was sleeping, my anxiety ratcheted up, and I watched over him, practically holding my breath, praying he would wake up again. It was silly, I knew that, but when the man you loved spent an entire month unconscious, you couldn’t help but have lingering fears associated with that traumatic event.
A soft moan sounded, and Sasha’s head turned to the side before that warm blue gaze settled on my face. Air rushed from my lungs, relief washing over me that he was okay.
He ran a hand up my back, tangling his fingers in my hair. A corner of his lips turned up as I snuggled closer.
Voice rough, he asked, “How long was I out?”
“Couple of hours.”
“You get any sleep?” His hand cupped my cheek, the thumb tracing over the dark circles beneath my eyes.
Burying my face in his chest, I shook my head. “I’ll try again tonight.”
Sasha sighed. This role reversal was difficult for him. He was used to being the caretaker, but right now, I wasn’t sure there was anything that could help me. Hopefully, after enough time had passed and my brain realized he wasn’t just going to slip into another coma one day, I could relax enough to sleep through the night. Until then, I would survive on the bare minimum required to function.
The idea of being awake in the late hours of the night had me remembering something that had slipped through the cracks while Sasha was in the hospital.
“I, uh—” Embarrassment rose to the surface, and my words died off as my cheeks heated.
“What’s wrong?” Sasha’s tone grew worried, his grip around my waist tightening.
“I lost my job,” I admitted.
“Because you took so much time off to be with me?”
“Yeah,” I breathed out. “I couldn’t give them a return date, so I can understand that they needed to let me go.”
“Okay.” He paused. “Do you want to keep working? I mean, if you don’t, I’ve got you covered, babe. Even if I never play again, a ton of guaranteed money was built into my contract. We’ll be just fine.” Chuckling, he clarified, “More than fine.”
Twisting my lips, I explained, “After fighting so hard to gain my independence, it seems almost hypocritical to fall back into a role where I’m solely reliant on a man.”
“You’re my wife, Gemma. My partner, my equal. Whether you decide to return to work or not, I will never view you as indebted to me for supporting you. It’sourmoney, not mine alone.”
Shifting, I rose onto my elbow to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”
“Say it again,” he commanded softly.
My forehead pressed to his. “I love you, Sasha.”
Both of his arms banded around me, crushing me to his chest. “I love you so fucking much, Gemma.”
Our mouths fused, and Sasha teased his tongue past my parted lips. My hips shifted, searching for a closer connection.
He pulled back, and our harsh breathing mixed. “Get on top, baby.”
I forced my eyes open, panting, “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Tucking the hair that had fallen over my face behind my ear, he vowed, “You won’t.”
Rising to my knees, I tugged on the hem of my shirt, ripping it over my head and tossing it onto the floor.
“Bra too. I want those tits bouncing in my face when you ride me.”
Reaching behind my back, I flicked the clasp and let my bra slide down my arms.
