Chapter Twenty-Four

Troy

I don’t want Joslyn to know it, but inside, my organs knock together. The sight of her looking so fragile and damaged terrifies me in a way I can’t explain or articulate, and the protective rush of feelings that course through me make my adrenaline shoot up like mercury in a thermometer.

“You’re being quiet,” Joslyn says from the passenger seat of my car. “What’s on your mind?”

“You’re kidding.” I take my eyes off the road only for the split second it takes for me to drink in the sight of her. “After all that, you have no idea what’s on my mind? Truly?”

Joslyn cocks her head to the side and sighs. “I know.” A long, uncomfortable pause hangs between us. We’re only a foot apart from each other, but it might as well be the width of a canyon. She swallows, and I wonder if she’s going to cry again. But after just a few seconds, the look of vulnerability disappears, and she presses her lips together in a firm line.

We lapse into silence again as I turn onto the highway and speed up. Joslyn clears her throat.

“Troy, can you just take me home? Please?”

“You know we gotta get you to the hospital, Jos.” I reach over and put my hand on her knee. “You might be hurt. And while I’m thinking about it, send your dad a text. He called me beside himself with worry. He needs to know you’re okay.”

Joslyn shakes her head in defiance, but I see her pick up her phone and text her dad out of the corner of my eye. “I’m not hurt. I can tell. Believe me, in my line of work, I’ve suffered enough injuries to know.”

“I believe you,” I say, gently but firmly. “But I won’t be satisfied until a doctor takes a look, okay?”

Joslyn sulks, but she eventually nods and rests her head against the window. When I pull into the Las Vegas Memorial Medical Center, Joslyn sighs like she’s about to head to her own execution. She climbs out of the car and slams the door.

Frowning, I get out of the car. “Hey,” I call after her. “Wait.”

Joslyn pauses, turning around to look at me. “What?”

“I’m coming in with you.” I narrow my eyes as I trot after her. “Like I’d take my eyes off you after today!”

Joslyn flushes, tossing her wild mane of curls. “Fine.” She tries to sound annoyed, but really, she just sounds pleased. I take that as a good sign. “This better not take all day,” she grumbles as we walk into the emergency room. “I’m exhausted.”

I can’t stop a tiny grin from spreading across my face as I escort Joslyn to the triage counter. Such a small thing, but I’m happy that Joslyn didn’t put up too much resistance when it came to taking care of her safety. As soon as the triage nurse checks her in and obtains her insurance, she puts a plastic bracelet on her wrist and tells her to wait with me until her name is called. The waiting room bustles with the sick and injured, and I can tell Joslyn’s annoyed. She reluctantly takes a Women’s Health magazine from the table and flips through it without even looking.

“They’re just going to send me home.” Joslyn gives me a bored look. “And we’re going to be here forever.”

I look around. I don’t want to admit it, but she’s probably right. The room overflows with couples, families, and screaming infants.

“If you get hungry, we’ll order a pizza.” As I say the words, a nearby mother spears me with a lethal glare. “But we’re not leaving until you’ve seen a doctor.”

To my surprise, Joslyn laughs. “We can’t order a pizza,” she says in a scandalized whisper. “Everyone would hate us.”

I shrug, glaring right back at the bitchy mother and her snot-nosed brat. “We’ll just make sure there’s enough for everyone.”

Joslyn stretches and yawns before taking my hand. Again, I’m surprised – her small, slender fingers feel smooth in my hand. I take a beat and envelop myself in her softness. With Jos, it doesn’t always make an appearance. I like this side of her.

“So. Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?”

Joslyn sighs, but she doesn’t take her hand away. “I…”

Before she can speak, a nurse in patterned scrubs pushes the doors open and barks her name. Joslyn gets to her feet, pulling her hand free.

“I don’t think you can come with me.” She wavers a tiny bit and bites her lip. “But will you be here when I get back?”

I stare at her in shocked surprise – this is the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen her.

And I fucking love it. She needs me.

“Of course.” I nod and wave my hand. “I’ll never leave you again.”

Joslyn nods, looking confident again. She follows the nurse into the bowels of the hospital, and I take her magazine, leaning back in my chair with a sigh. I’m about to learn more about make-up techniques and faking orgasms than I ever wanted to know. I pass the time scanning boring reading material and blowing through my Facebook feed. After I return a few phone calls for work, I grab a Coke from the ancient vending machine and settle in.

By the time Joslyn emerges, over two hours have passed. She looks better – her face blossoms with a pretty pink shade, and I notice a small band-aid in the crook of her elbow signaling an IV. When she sees me, she smiles, and my heart skips a beat.

“Did you learn all about how planking every day strengthens your whole body and not just your abs?” Joslyn glances down at the discarded fitness magazine. “I can show you the most effective position. And if you’re really ready to take it to the next level, you can plank with me laying on your back.”

I laugh, imagining her on her back, not me on mine. “I think I’ve read every magazine in this place, cover to cover. And in fact, I don’t think I’ve read so much since high school.”

“I bet.” Joslyn gives a little smirk. “The doctors cleared me. They just gave me some fluids, and told me to take it easy for the next few days – nothing too strenuous.”

“What about your class?”

“Like I’m going to let my girls down,” Joslyn replies tartly. “I’d never do that. I’ll just…try not to work myself too hard.”

I shake my head and sigh. Despite the trauma she’s been through, Joslyn’s the same tough woman she’s always been. Her middle name is badass.

“Come on.” Joslyn glances around the waiting room. “Let’s get out of here. Hospitals give me the creeps.”

We walk in silence to the parking lot. I admire the sun sinking low into the hazy sky as Joslyn climbs into the passenger seat of my car.

“You want something to eat?”

“Yeah. And something to drink. Let’s get burgers on the way home.”

Something about the way she says ‘home’ makes my heart thud faster in my chest, but I don’t want to question her about it. And as much as I want to return to the conversation so rudely interrupted in the waiting room, I know Joslyn must come around on her own.

When I’m almost to Joslyn’s house, I go through a drive-thru and get four double bacon cheeseburgers with two orders of fries.

“You can have half of one.” I hand over the paper bags. “I’m starving.”

Joslyn playfully punches me in the arm. In the dim light of the evening, her blue eyes look like sapphires.

“Whatever.” She reaches into the grease-spotted bag and pulls out a handful of fries. “I’m going to eat both of mine, in like, five seconds.”

We pull into Joslyn’s driveway, my headlights bouncing across the house. As soon as the door clicks shut behind us, Joslyn heads for the fridge and grabs two cold bottles of beer. She passes one to me, and we sit down on the couch. Even though the bag of food is within reach, Joslyn doesn’t take a burger. Instead, she turns to me and fixes me with an intense stare.

“Thank you, Troy. I…I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”

I shrug self-consciously and take a long swallow of beer. “Yeah.” I’m so used to wicked tongued Joslyn, this new, softer Joslyn makes me feel lame. “Um, well, you know…”

“What?” Joslyn narrows her eyes. “What were you going to say?”

The tension between us grows thicker with each ticking second, and my arms itch to grab her body and pull her close so I can capture her lips with mine. On Dr. Phil or some afternoon bullshit, I heard that if a couple goes through danger together, they both release a flood of bonding hormones. It has to be true. I’ve never felt this way before about a woman. I didn’t even know I was capable of emotions this deep and pure. But they’re there. And it’s practically unbearable to sit so close to Joslyn without kissing her.

When I look into her eyes, everything I’m feeling shines back toward me in a brilliant sparkle of light. She licks her lips and sets her beer down on the coffee table, scooting closer to me. Before I can take a breath, Joslyn puts her arms around my neck and climbs onto my lap. Her mouth presses against mine in an urgent, lustful kiss and my cock throbs in my pants as Joslyn’s muscular, taut body pushes close to mine.

This woman does something to me. Like she peels back my skin and exposes every single crevice inside my body, not allowing me to deny one single part of who I am.

And I let her.

My deep-seated yearning for her is utter insanity. No matter how many times I fuck her tight pussy, I always want more. I don’t even need more than a couple of minutes until I’m rock hard and straining. It’s like my cock is a divining rod and Jos’s pussy is liquid gold.

I groan with desire as Joslyn licks and nibbles my lower lip, nudging my face to the side and licking my earlobe. She rubs her hands over my disheveled hair before kissing me again and purring into my mouth. As I run my hands down her back, Joslyn shivers in my arms. I pick her up and stand in one smooth motion, carrying her into the bedroom without breaking our kiss.

“I want to fuck you, hard and deep.”

Joslyn sighs and nods as I put her down on the bed. Somehow, I feel like claiming her will chase the fear of losing her from my heart. She looks up at me with passion in her eyes before pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to the side. Her breasts look delectable in the moonlight streaming in through the window, and I growl with lust as I rip my shirt off and throw it down. My balls ache with desire as I climb on the bed and in between Joslyn’s spread legs. She smells like floral musk, and the scent drives me insane as I make my way down her slim body, tonguing her belly button until she gasps and squeezes my shoulders with her thighs. I want her so badly. I don’t just want to fuck her, I want to consume her. I want her to be totally mine, now and forever.

Joslyn pants and gasps as I move lower and lower, nudging the elastic waistband of her yoga pants with my nose. She writhes as I pull her pants down, pushing her crotch toward my face. I can tell that she’s aroused, and when I push her panties to the side, Joslyn gasps with delicious anticipation. I slide a finger inside of her, then add two more and begin fingering her as I nibble on the inside of her thigh. She tastes like heaven, but I want more than this – I want to take her. I want her to be mine.

The last fucking thing I want is to stop touching Joslyn Monroe.

Ever.

“I want you,” I growl, getting to my knees and fumbling with my belt. “Forever.”

As soon as my pants and boxers are around my knees, I pull Joslyn toward me on the bed and plunge deep inside her. Joslyn yelps with pleasure, closing her eyes and arching her back as we begin rocking together in a frenzy of sexual passion. She feels so good that I can hardly stand it, but I don’t want to come yet – I want to prolong this, to make it last.

“Troy,” Joslyn moans as she wraps her legs around my waist and pushes her body against mine. “You feel so damn good.”

Her eyelids flutter closed, and she shudders as I drive deeper and faster into her pussy. We’re moving together in passionate rhythm, and I can feel my orgasm building deep in my balls, but I’m not ready yet. Joslyn’s taut body glistens, and I lean down, kissing her deeply and sucking her lips until she wraps her arms around my shoulders and pulls me close.

Grabbing Joslyn’s narrow waist, I flip onto my back without sliding out of her. She grips my hips with her strong thighs and starts to ride me, pushing one of her small hands against my chest as her hips move faster and faster. The pleasure is almost too intense to bear, and Joslyn gives me a wicked grin as she reaches down and thumbs her own clit, throwing her head back and moaning with pleasure. The way she takes what she wants, without requiring permission is one of the things I love most about her.

When her body begins to shudder and shake, Joslyn lets out a wild moan and grabs my shoulders. She grinds her hips against my cock, drawing me deep inside of her, and I feel her tight muscles clench down on my stiff member. The electricity of her pleasure sets me off, and soon I hurtle towards the finish line. I thrust and arch, pushing deep inside Joslyn’s wetness as my cock begins to gush. It feels unreal, and I groan and shake, bucking my hips beneath Joslyn’s muscular thighs.

Joslyn gasps for air before climbing off my cock and flopping down on the bed. She licks her lips and rests her head against my sweaty chest.

“I thought you were hungry.” I brush Joslyn’s rumpled curls away from her forehead.

“I was.” She shivers again and sighs, tracing light patterns over my chest with her fingernails. “But not for food.”

“Like you’re not going to go out there and demolish those cheeseburgers.”

Joslyn gives me a wicked smile. “I was going to wait until you were in the bathroom.” A guilty expression consumes her face. I love this easy banter between us. It just feels right. As she continues to stare at me, her smile fades.

“What is it?” I frown as I wrap an arm around Joslyn’s shoulders and pull her close, yanking the thin bedsheet over our bodies. “Are you okay?”

Joslyn pulls away and rolls onto her belly, propping herself up on her elbows. She takes a deep, shuddering breath.

“What is it?” I repeat. My belly clenches tight with concern. Is she going to start another fight, or is she still afraid of Dante?

“I love you,” Joslyn admits in a soft whisper full of promises I never even knew I wanted from her. She swallows. “And…I think I have for a long time.” She reaches for my hand. “And Troy, I’m so sorry about…well, about everything. But especially how I treated you when we first met.”

I take a deep breath. “I love you too.”

“Don’t tell me that if you don’t mean it.” Joslyn shakes her head, eyes wide as saucers. “Just don’t.”

“I do, though.” Leaning close to Joslyn, I press my lips to hers. “When I was worried about something bad happening to you, it was the worst fucking day of my life. I’ve loved you for a long time, too, but that’s what made me realize it.”

Joslyn melts against my chest. She kisses the side of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine. Even though I’m spent, being this close to her hot body makes me feel like I could easily go for round two.

“There’s one more thing.” Joslyn glances up at me and flutters her lashes.

“Please don’t tell me you bought me a pet spider,” I reply. “Because then all bets are off.”

Joslyn giggles and wags a finger at me. “No! Of course not. I’d never do that. But I do want you to move in with me.”

Her request takes me by surprise – even more so than her confession of love.

“That’s surprising. Wouldn’t that bother you, Ms. Independent?”

Joslyn shakes her head, and I exhale not even realizing I’d been holding my breath for her verification. “No. It would actually make me feel better.” She clears her throat. “I was pretty pigheaded before, Troy. I know that. But as long as that son of a bitch is on the loose, I don’t feel safe alone. And I can’t be an idiot and keep risking your safety if something else happens to me.”

“And…you trust me that much, huh? If that’s the case, maybe I can be enticed to give up my crappy apartment.”

Joslyn gives me a small smile, but it touches my heart to the core of that galloping muscle. “I do. I love you, you know. I really do.”

Her words fill me with more happiness than I ever could have imagined. “I love you, Joslyn.”

“So, will you move in with me?”

I stretch, tapping my chin as I pretend to think about it. “I don’t know. I’ve got a pretty sweet bachelor pad. There’s even black mold in the bathroom – something like that would be awfully hard to give up.”

Joslyn giggles and whacks me with a pillow. “You’re terrible. And you’d better not bring any mold with you.” She tosses her curly head arrogantly. “I’m kind of a perfectionist. If you hadn’t noticed.”

I glance around her meticulous bedroom, looking over the neatly folded stacks of Lululemon and North Face workout clothes.

“I hadn’t noticed,” I lie. “But I think I can live with that.”

“So, you’ll do it? You’ll live with me?”

I grin and wrap my hand around Joslyn’s neck before pulling her close and capturing her lips.

“Oh, yeah. I can’t wait.”