STELLA

I could hear a commotion outside the dressing room where I had banned anyone from coming in. Loud voices, shouting, but I stayed where I was. I hadn’t even put on any clothes yet. I think I was in shock or something, but I felt chilled from not having any clothes on for so long. I just couldn’t find it in myself to get out of my head to put my clothes back on. All I could think about was what Booth and I hadn’t done together yet.

Marriage, kids … Hell, I hadn’t even given him a blow job yet. Charlotte and I got some great lessons from Vegas a few weeks back, and I had been pretty good with the banana.

“Get the women back to the compound. Vegas, get that phone number and call it.” The powerful, commanding voice of my man filled me with relief.

“Stella,” I heard him call out, his voice frantic. Oh, God. Thank God he was here. Then the curtain pulled back, and he was there—tall, handsome, and mine. My relief was immediate.

He reached me in two strides. Booth fell to his knees, and in seconds, I was in his lap, his strong, capable arms wrapped around me, and finally, I could breathe.

“Honey, you’re cold,” he scolded me gently. He went to let me go, but I held tight. I didn’t care that I was freezing and my whole body shivered. My man was my warmth, and I needed that more than anything right now. I needed his warmth, his strength. Being in his arms would make this nightmare go away even if it was just for right now.

“I found a lump,” I whispered into his chest after a few minutes of silence. I knew he was probably freaking out and had a million questions, but he was letting me take the lead.

“I know, Honey. Let me see, Stella,” he said gently, then pried me away from his chest just enough so he could see me.

Taking his hand in mine, I placed it where the lump was. I knew exactly where to find it after having touched it so many times since I’d discovered the horrible thing. I hoped and prayed it had all been in my imagination, but… The blasted thing was in the same place every time my fingers sought it out.

“Do you feel it?” I asked, praying that he said no.

His warm fingers had a slight tremble to them as they ran over my cool flesh. His eyes never left mine as he did. “Yeah, Honey, I feel it,” he confirmed, his voice low and gentle still, calming me. He was so good at that. He had been like that on the phone the day Rogue was hitting us from behind. He’d kept me from losing my shit more than once.

“Mum had cancer and died,” I said. Why, I had no clue. I just had to say it. Get it out there.

“You aren’t dying. Do you hear me, Stella Hogan? There is no force on this earth or anywhere else that will take you from me,” he promised, his hands moving from my breast to my face, which he held between them, holding me captive so I had no choice but to hear him.

“I haven’t even given you a blow job yet.” Word vomit! I had word vomit. Verbal diarrhoea—I was sure it was a condition and treatment was needed. Booth’s soft laugh filled the room.

“Well, we will remedy that as soon as possible, but first, we need to get your clothes on and get to the doctor. Vegas knows someone, and they can see you as soon as we get there.” Looking around the small room, Booth found my bra, jeans, and top. “Come on, Honey, put your clothes on, and if you are a good girl, I will let you cop a feel of my cock while we are on my bike,” he joked, which, of course, made me laugh. It was a hollow one, but a laugh just the same.

I allowed him to pull me up, and he started to dress me. He was careful with my bra, and his eyes stayed focused on my face, never looking at where the lump was. He gently tucked my breasts into the cups and fastened the hooks. It was not until he had my shirt back on that he looked down at my chest. His grey eyes clouded over for a split second, but when he brought them back up to me, I saw nothing but love.

“You are my light, Honey. You aren’t going anywhere without me. I love you, Stella, so fucking much,” he declared softly but firmly, and I believed him.

“I love you, too, baby, and I don’t want to go anywhere without you.” Going up on tiptoes, I pressed my lips against his and held them there for a moment, breathing him in before I pulled back and took his offered hand. I laced our fingers together, his warm to my cold, and let him lead me out of the dreaded small room that had become my cave for a short time. I was going to make sure when we came back for the last fitting, I would not come back to this particular room. I did not like it.