I shook my head, holding onto him for dear life. “Never again. I’m so sorry.”
When we pulled away, he looked me up and down, soaking in the body he never thought he’d see again.
“What?” I asked once his eyebrows creased back together.
“Why is there blood on your hand? And why are you dirty?”
I looked down at my hand and gasped, pain instantly shooting through my arm once I saw the piece of glass in my hand.
“Oh, I um… kind of jumped your fence and smashed your basement window trying to find you. I must’ve cut myself when jumping in. Been so freaked out, I didn’t even notice it.”
“You smashed my window?”
I nodded, and he chuckled. It was good to see him smiling again, even if it was at the expense of my hand.
“Doesn’t hurt as badly as my foot. Maybe I’m just used to glass in my skin now.”
He studied my foot. “I thought I saw you limping. What happened?”
His eyes bugged out as I told him about someone breaking my window, and the hectic day that followed as I waited for him.
“I’m so sorry, baby. Sit.”
I sat in a chair and he sat across from me, grabbing my foot. I winced as he removed my shoe and sock, which was soaked in blood.
“Jesus.”
Guilt plagued his face, and I didn’t want him to feel guilty about me. He was already bearing Vivian’s weight on his shoulders, and I didn’t want to add to his stress. I cupped his face, stroking his cheek with my thumb.
“It’s not your fault. We’re together now, and that’s all that matters.”
“It looks like it’s starting to get infected. The last thing you needed to be doing today is running around town, jumping fences and climbing through windows.”
“Maybe, but at least I found you. So, it was worth it.”
He eyed it closer. Sitting down made me realize just how much it was hurting.
“We’re going to have someone look at this. Wait here.”
I didn’t object. He disappeared and returned a few minutes later with a wheelchair.
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is. Get in.”
I sighed before picking up my coffee and getting in the seat. He wheeled me to the emergency room, signing me in.
Two hours later, I was discharged with fresh bandages on my foot and hand, hospital-grade painkillers and a two-week course of antibiotics. We went back up to Vivian’s room, where the doctor was finishing up. He turned to us when we entered, taking note of my filthy clothes, but saying nothing.
“Everything okay?” Wes asked.
“The swelling in her brain has gone down. As long as her blood work comes back fine, we’re going to take her out of the coma. Probably in the morning.”
Wes blew out a long breath as I rubbed his back. “That’s wonderful Thank you, doctor.”
“She’s very lucky she has you,” he said before leaving the room.
Wes spun around and scooped me up, hugging me tightly.
When he released me, he checked his watch. “Ugh, I have a meeting in an hour. I can’t miss this one; it’s for the new woman’s shelter. We’re meeting at a restaurant to discuss it over dinner. Have you eaten yet? Would you like to join me?”
“Of course,” I said with a smile.
“Cool. Let me run to the bathroom and we can go.”
While I waited, I walked over to Vivian, taking her clammy hand in mine. Her skin was so pale, and her usually vibrant hair was matted on top of her head. She wasn’t the sex kitten I was used to. No, now when I looked at her, all I saw was a woman who needed help. Help that Wes was giving her.
Wes felt responsible for her. They cared for each other and I knew they loved each other. They had a close bond, but she wasn’t a threat. Vivian was a sweet girl dealing with life that best way she knew how, taking it one day at a time. I wanted to know what happened to make her relapse so hard.
I squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. You made a mistake, but he still loves you. And we’re both going to be here for you when you wake up.”
13
Thankfully I had some clothes at his house because I was filthy from my fence-jumping, window smashing adventure earlier.
“I’m sorry I broke your window. I saw your car and assumed you were home.”
“My car was out of gas. I didn’t want to risk breaking down on my way to take Viv to the hospital, so we took her car.”
I waved at his neighbor as we walked up to the house.
“Does she just hang out on her porch all day? She was out here earlier.”
“Yeah, she’s the self-designated neighborhood watch,” he said as we stepped inside.
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure she was seconds away from calling the police on me. Doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of people of color in this neighborhood. She probably thought I was trying to rob you.”
He grabbed me around my waist once he shut the door, pressing our bodies together. “If a beauty like you broke into my house, I’d let you have it all. And I can think of one thing I’d straight out
give
you,” he said, tilting his hips towards me so I could feel his erection growing between us.
I giggled as he planted kisses on my neck and shoulders, giving my ass a little squeeze before pulling away.
“I’m going to check out the window you broke before jumping in the shower.”
I bit down on my lip. “Can I… join you in the shower?”
I didn’t know how much time we had before dinner, but I didn’t need much. My body was going through withdrawal, and I was so horny, I’d probably cum just at the sight of his cock.
He smiled, scooping me up in his arms and carrying me up the stairs to his bedroom.
“I could have walked up the stairs.”
“You’re still limping. After dinner, I’m bringing you back here to rest. Give me ten minutes to check out the window.”
He disappeared back down the stairs, and I limped my way to Vivian’s room. Snatching a trash bag, I began cleaning the bathroom. After stuffing the drug paraphernalia in the trash, I opened the bathroom window to air out the smell of stale vomit.
I grabbed the cleaning supplies from under her sink and scrubbed away the dried fluids, thankful the blood didn’t leave a stain. Just as I finished up, Wes appeared in the doorway, hands in his pockets.
“Thank you,” he said in a low voice, his silly tone from earlier nowhere to be found.
I tied the bag up and he took it from me as I stood. “Of course.”
He looked away, shaking his head. “I can’t believe she did this. I thought she was almost ready to be on her own. I didn’t see any signs…”
I shushed him, cupping his cheek so he would turn to face me. “This isn’t your fault, Wes. There’s only so much we can do to support her. At the end of the day, she has to make the choice whether to use or not. But we’ll stay on her until she’s fully rehabilitated. She loves you, and she didn’t do it to hurt you.”
He nodded. “I’m going to take this out. Meet me in the bathroom.”
I walked to his bathroom, gasping when I stepped in. The room was dark, softly lit by a few candles surrounding his large whirlpool tub, which was filled with a hot bubble bath.
“When did you have time to do this?” I asked when he walked up behind me.
He shrugged and pulled the hair-tie out of my hair, swooping my shoulder-length locks up in a high bun.
“Thanks,” I said, thankful he remembered not to get my relaxed hair wet.
He buried his face in my neck. “Don’t thank me just yet. I can’t guarantee I’ll give a damn about keeping your hair dry with your naked body on top of me.”
He gave my ass a tap and began undressing, a hint of a smile back on his lips.
He slowly sank in the hot bubbles and I followed suit.
He clutched my arm to stabilize me. “Prop your foot on the edge of the tub; we don’t want it getting wet just yet.”
I moaned when I positioned my body between his legs in the tub, the warm water magical on my sore body.
He covered me in the lavender-scented bubbles, his hands slicking all over my skin. I leaned back against his chest as his soapy hands ran across my nipples, sighing as he pinched them until they hardened.
“I’m glad you’re here with me,” he whispered in my ear, his hand drifting down my belly and into the water between my legs.
“There’s no other place for me to be; I’m never leaving you.”
My breath hitched in my throat as his hand gripped my sex, his cock twitching behind me as he slipped over my wet skin.
He used one hand to massage my tits and the other to rub my pussy. Sweat began prickling my skin once he inserted a finger, the warm bath now becoming hot as my arousal built.
“You don’t know how much I’ve missed you, how much I’ve needed you,” I said breathlessly.
He chuckled in my ear, his breath sending a shiver through my body. “I think I can tell.”
He inserted a second finger inside of me as I circled my hips to fuck his fingers.
The water splashed in jagged waves as my body jerked in pleasure. I came in an effortless and powerful explosion and he kept fucking me with his fingers until my body stopped convulsing.
“I think I’m going to pull you out of this tub so I can fuck you before dinner.”
His fingers slid out of my pussy as I stood. I spun around and faced him before dropping to my hands and knees, my bandaged foot in the air.
Gazing up at him through my thick lashes, I gripped his hard cock under the water.
“What are you doing?” he asked, watching my head lower to the water level.
“Having a pre-dinner snack,” I said with a smile.
“We can get out. Your hair-”
I cut him off, lowering my head under the water and putting his cock in my mouth, my ass propped in the air above the bubbles.
He groaned as I took his head in my mouth, the water helping my hand pump his shaft as I sucked. He groaned when I flicked my tongue on the tiny slit on his tip. Despite the water, I could still taste a hint of precum.
I looked up at him as I came up for air, and his mouth was gaped open. When I lowered my head again, I took his entire length in my mouth, holding his thighs for support as I bobbed up and down.
Water slapped me in the face as I raised and lowered my head to suck him. I reached to grab his balls, and he jumped, pulling my arm.
“Come here.”
He carefully twisted my body back around and sat me on his lap. I arched my back and slowly slid down his cock. He gripped my hips and rocked me hard in his lap, water splashing out of the tub.
I moaned and leaned forward as he picked up the pace, my body heating once more. His hands reached around to massage my tits as I took control. I reached for the edge of the tub, knocking a candle off the ledge onto a puddle of water on the floor.
“Goddamn, you’re about to make me cum.”
He reached down to my sex and rolled my clit between his fingers. My legs trembled under his touch as I fought to maintain my momentum through the pleasure.
My eyes snapped shut as a fever heated me once more. He leaned forward, planting bites down my shoulders and back as both of our bodies tightened in preparation of our oncoming orgasms.
I dug my fingers into the tub as I lost control of my bucking body, pleasure erupting from me.
“Oh, fuck!” I said.
“Shit,” he cursed at the same time as me as we came together.
I collapsed against his chest, collecting my breath, my body still scorching with heat.
“Shit,” he said again.
“Hmm?”
I opened my eyes as he slipped from behind me. I gasped when I saw the flames next to us, the bathmat on fire from the candle I’d knocked over earlier.
“Oh, my God. I thought the candle was out when I knocked it over!” I said as he patted the flames away.
I cringed as I saw his charred mat, looking up at him with wide eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Wes.”
He offered me his hand and helped me out the tub. “That’s the second time you’ve damaged my home today. Please keep in mind this is just a rental.”
We laughed as he wrapped a towel around his waist and handed me a small one to dry my soaked hair. He took another one and began drying my skin, starting at my ankles and working his way up to my shoulders.
His eyes widened at my ruined hair.
“Yeah, I know. Looks crazy.”
He twirled my wavy strands through his fingers. “I like it like this,” he said with a smile before heading back in his bedroom.
I followed behind, resting on the edge of the bed to get my weight off my foot. “Speaking of this place being a rental, how much longer are you going to be here? Are you moving back to Texas once the gyms and shelter are opened?”
I loved where I lived, and I couldn’t imagine leaving my daycare center. I never thought about the fact that Wes was only in town temporarily; would we end up in a long-distance relationship?
He must’ve seen the concern on my face because he walked over to me, bending down to kiss my forehead.
“Don’t worry; we’ll figure it all out.”
“I know we will, but the thought of leaving the daycare terrifies me.”
“I’d ever ask you to do that. Let’s not worry about it yet; I’m scheduled to be here for a little bit longer.”
I wondered what his life back home in Texas looked like. I wondered who his friends were, if he still spoke to his old college buddies. Playing with the ring on my finger, I laughed. Hell, I didn’t even know what kind of car he drove. But none of that mattered; like he said, we would figure it out.
We got dressed and headed out, the last ones to arrive at the restaurant. Wes introduced me to his colleagues, who were trying to get him funding for his new shelter.
The waiter came to take our drink orders and the men got to business right away.
“So you never responded to my email, Wesley.”
He shook his head at the man, resting a hand on my thigh.
“I told you from the beginning, this shelter is not going to be run according to the current standard. The way shelters function now is deplorable, and I’m going to do better.”
“How do you expect to get funding if you ignore the quotas? States are paying to get people sheltered, not give the luxurious accommodations.”
The waiter returned with our drinks and he took a sip. I could see his tight jaw and I lifted my brows. It was hard to stir Wes, but if you did, it’d be best to get as far away from him as soon as possible.
“I wouldn’t consider creating a safe environment
luxurious
. How do you expect a single mother to turn her life around when she has to worry about overcrowded facilities with no safety precautions in place? Do you know what happens in these shelters?”
“You can't ignore the rules and expect us to pay you for it.”
He gripped my thigh harder, and I took a sip of my drink. This guy was about to get it. “Not every person down on their luck is an addict or in trouble with the law; I’m not going to brush people aside because they don’t meet the asinine requirements needed to be eligible for assistance. If you think providing a safe and reliable shelter for people won't help them get back on their feet faster, than you know nothing about the people you say you want to help.”
The man threw his hands up in surrender. “Wesley, I’m on your side. I want this just as badly as you do, but we have to come up with a plan. Your idea of a dream shelter is nice on paper, but we need checks signed. You’re going to have to give somewhere.”
The man’s phone rang, and Wes leaned back, blowing out a breath. “I’m going to do this right. I’m not going to create another piece of shit shelter. I want to rehabilitate people, and this isn’t the way to do it.”
I gave him a kiss on the cheek. “And I’m going to do everything I can to help you.”
He was still fuming when we got back to his place. He was so passionate about helping the homeless; it’s crazy to think it all started because he was looking for me. There’s a reason for everything, and although I would never want to repeat it, our time apart helped us cultivate our callings.
I went to my cell phone carrier the next morning.
“My fiancé can't call me, and I can't call his. I think something’s wrong with my phone.”
What I thought was going to be a long process was a thirty-second one. The technician pushed a few buttons on my phone and showed me the screen.
“This number is on your auto-reject list; that’s why he hasn’t been able to call you.”
“What? I didn’t do that.”
He shrugged. “It can happen on accident. Sometimes the option just gets pushed. Easy fix.”
“So, why can't I call him either? I doubt both of us accidentally pressed the same button.”
He played with my phone and clicked around on my account on his computer screen.
“Hmm. Now that’s a harder question to answer.”
His brows bunched together as he clicked around.
“I don’t see anything; I think we should do a reset. You’ll keep your contacts and media, but lose everything else.”