Landen woke slowly, feeling like he already had the hangover from hell. Only this was no hangover. As he opened his eyes, the memory of what happened the night before crashed into his head.

He lay there for a moment, trying to take stock of how he was feeling. His head was pounding, his ribs felt more than a little tender. Landen still felt groggy, part of him wanted to just go to sleep once more. He went to move, when he realised that there was someone next to him.

Landen turned his head slowly, smiling the moment he saw Amelia next to him, her head on the bed next to his arm, and she was fast asleep.

He was just about to reach up to softly touch her head when the door opened, and Dylan walked into the room.

“You’re awake!” Dylan said in a hushed voice, as he gave Landen a smile. He walked toward the bed, pulling his stethoscope from his neck, then popped it in his ears before he pulled down the top of Landen’s hospital gown and pressed it to his chest. He didn’t speak for a moment, but when he finally lifted the stethoscope up, he smiled once more, nodding towards a sleeping Amelia. “She has been here all night.”

“I can’t believe that Liam found her and talked her into coming back,” Landen whispered as he turned to look at Amelia once more.

“I think she may just surprise you,” Dylan said, giving Landen a knowing smile. “I think she left for the right reasons, at least to her, but she also came back for the right reason too.”

“I didn’t realise how I felt about her until I thought I had lost her,” Landen admitted to his brother. “Now I have to do what it takes to make sure I don’t lose her again.”

“Then you need to talk to her,” Dylan shrugged, smiling again. “Tell her how you feel.”

“I will,” Landen nodded.

“I will be back in a few minutes,” Dylan said as he set down the chart, and headed back towards the door. “I need to get some new dressings for your head.”

“Okay,” Landen replied, watching his brother walk out of the room. He turned and looked at Amelia once more.

He didn’t know why, but this girl had become so important to him. She had become everything that he never imagined he would want, now he was so scared he was going to mess everything up, that he would lose her forever.

He slowly lifted his hand, and softly brushed her hair.

The moment he touched her, her eyes opened, and she sat up straight in her chair.

“You’re awake!” She said as she gave Landen a sleepy smile.

“You’re here,” he replied as he reached out and softly touched her face. “Thank you for coming back.”

“I’m sorry I ran,” Amelia began, but Landen quickly pressed his fingers to her lips.

“You’re here,” Landen repeated. “That’s the only thing that matters right now.”

Before Amelia could speak again, the door to the room opened once more, and Landen’s entire family, except for Dylan, walked into the room. Nikki was with them too.

“Hey sweetie,” Nell said as she hurried to Landen side, kissing him on the forehead. “You look a little better today. How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” Landen replied honestly, but then smiled before he added. “But a lot better than I did last night.”

He turned, looking at Liam, giving him a nod that said thank you for bringing Amelia back. Liam just nodded in return, giving him a smile.

“I should be going,” Amelia said as she suddenly stood up, “You’ll want to talk to your family.”

“I want you to stay,” Landen said as he reached out and took hold of Amelia’s hand. “Please.”

Amelia stared down at him for a moment, then smiled as she slowly sat back down.

“So, I guess I should introduce you all,” Landen said as he held Amelia’s hand tightly. “This is Amelia Davenport. Amelia is very special to me, but…”

“It's okay, Bro,” Liam said with a smile. “Mom already filled us in.”

“I’m sorry,” Nell said, giving Landen and Amelia an apologetic look. “But I think after last night, I thought you both needed the whole family on your side.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Landen smiled.

“I’m sorry I lied to you,” Amelia said as she looked up at Callum. “I understand if you don’t want me to come back to your office.”

“Are you kidding me,” Callum said as he smiled at her. “Eloise is finally off my case about hiring someone to take care of Mom’s appointments, besides you’re a big improvement on the last assistant she had.”

“Josie was a sweet lady,” Nell said, giving her son a scolding look. “She used to be my dad’s assistant.”

“Don’t I know it,” Callum sniggered. “The woman was older than dirt, and don’t get me started on her bathroom habits.”

“Callum Stephen Murphy,” Nell said in her strictest mother’s voice. “We have ladies present, so behave yourself.”

“Yeah, Callum,” Liam said with a grin. “I thought you knew better than that.”

“Shut up, Assface,” Callum said and was rewarded with a slap on the back of the head from Sean, as Liam stuck out his tongue.

“Hey, Nik,” Landen said as he looked up at his friend, giving her a smile. “You doing okay?”

“I’m okay, Boss Man,” Nikki replied with a smile. “You’re looking a little bit more like yourself today.”

“I’m feeling a little more like me,” Landen replied with a smile.

Just then, the door opened, and Dylan came back in, with a smile on his face.

“So,” Dylan said as he looked at Landen. “I know you love hanging around here and giving me shit. But I am sick of your face, so I think it’s time you got the hell out of here.”

“I can go home?” Landen asked as a huge smile spread across his face.

“You can,” Dylan replied with a smile. “I just need to change the dressing on your head.”

“Great!” Landen exclaimed, then added with a smile. “And you need to work on your bedside manner.”

“I’ll try,” Dylan replied with a grin.

Nell had suggested that Landen come back to stay in her house, but he had other ideas. He was hoping that he could go back to his own place and that Amelia would come with him.

He knew, given his cracked ribs, they couldn’t get up to very much, but there was so much he wanted to talk to her about, and he knew he couldn’t do that in his parent’s house.

Landen was more than happy when Amelia agreed to go home with him, so once all the paperwork was completed, then with one last check of his head from Dylan, Landen was free to go home.

Landen was lying on the sofa, watching Amelia as she walked back in from the kitchen with two huge glasses of milk, and two freshly made sandwiches.

“What’s this?” He asked as she walked across the living room and set the tray she was carrying down on the coffee table, then sat down on the sofa next to Landen and pulled her legs up under her.

“It’s comfort food,” Amelia said with a smile as she reached for one of the plates then handed it to Landen. “Whenever I was sick, or upset when I was growing up, my dad would always make me a sandwich and pour me a large glass of milk. He said that there is no problem in this world that couldn’t be solved by a glass of milk and a sandwich.”

“I see,” Landen said with a grin, picking up the sandwich from his plate. “I don’t know when the last time that I had a sandwich and a glass of milk was.”

“What do you usually eat?” Amelia asked with a laugh as she took a bite from her sandwich.

“I don’t know,” Landen shrugged. “Real food.”

“This is real food,” Amelia insisted as she swallowed the food in her mouth. “If you’re good, and eat all your sandwich, I will run you a nice bath.”

“And will you wash my back?” Landen asked with a grin, as he wriggled his eyebrows.

“Only if you drink your milk too,” Amelia said with a laugh as she reached forward, picking up Landen’s glass and handed it to him. He smiled as he took it from her, and lowered it back in one go.

“There!” He said as he handed her back the empty glass. “All gone.”

Amelia smiled as she leaned forward, then she carefully raised her hand and Landen had no idea what she was going to do. He held his breath, as she softly rubbed her finger across his top lip and the bottom of his mustache.

“You have a milk mustache,” she whispered before she brought her finger to her mouth. Then, holding his gaze with hers, she opened her mouth, carefully slipped her finger in between her lips, and gently sucked the milk from her fingertip.

“Jesus,” Landen groaned as he could feel his cock twitch in his pants. He leaned forward, looking longingly into her eyes. “Maybe we could skip the bath and go straight to the bedroom.”

“You are in no state to go anywhere,” Amelia replied with a cheeky smile.

“Then why are you teasing me, Ms. Davenport,” Landen said as he looked into her eyes.

“I don’t know what you mean, Mr. Murphy,” Amelia whispered before she softly pressed her lips to his, he could feel her smile against his mouth. “Now, come on, It’s time for your bath.”

Amelia stood up, holding her hand out to Landen. He looked up into her eyes, wanting nothing more than to pick her up and carry her to his room, then get lost inside her beautiful body. But thanks to Charles Greenway, that was not going to happen for a day or two.

Still, having her here was beyond perfect. Landen was determined to make the most of it while it lasted.

Landen reached up, taking hold of her hand, then allowed her to lead him to the bathroom. Once they reached it, Landen stood, watching Amelia as she bent over the bath, to turn on the taps. Then she picked up some Magnolia bubble bath from the shelf behind the bath, pouring a generous amount into the water.

When she turned back to Landen, she smiled.

“It will be ready in a couple of minutes,” she said as she walked slowly towards him. “But first I think we need to get you out of these clothes.”

“Well, you’re the boss,” Landen said, as he gave her a knowing grin. If he couldn’t have her the way he wanted, he would sure as hell have some fun in whatever way he could.

He stood watching her, but made no effort to strip himself.

Amelia walked closer to him, smiling as she reached up and began to unfasten his shirt. Each button she unfastened, Landen’s heart hammered a little harder in his chest. When the last button was open, Amelia carefully slipped her hand up his body, pushing his shirt down over his shoulders, before Landen let it slide down his arms and billow down to the floor.

Amelia smiled as she raked her eyes down over his body, but when her eyes reached the bruising on his side, her smile faded, as her breath caught in her throat.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Landen told her, but he could tell she knew he was lying.

“If you hadn’t been coming to see me,” Amelia whispered as tears danced in her eyes. “You wouldn’t have been in the garage.”

“This wasn’t some chance meeting,” Landen said as he stepped closer to her, took hold of her chin, pulling her eyes from his ribs, up to his eyes. “This was not your fault. They would have had their chance, regardless of when or where.”

“I just don’t like to see you hurt,” she whispered as she stared up into his eyes. “I was so scared.”

“But I’m okay,” Landen assured her with a smile. “And I promise you, that it will never happen again.”

“Okay,” Amelia replied, with a smile. “Now, let’s get you into the bath.”

“I think you just want me naked,” Landen growled, with a grin. “I can see right through you, Woman!”

Amelia held his gaze as she reached for the waistband of his trousers, pulling them open.

“If I wanted you naked, Mr. Murphy,” Amelia breathed out as she slipped her hand inside Landen’s trousers, allowing her fingertips to graze the head of his cock. “It wouldn’t take much doing.”

“Jesus,” Landen groaned as he pressed his head down against hers. “You really don’t play fair.”

“I know,” she replied with a smile, as she pushed his trousers, and boxers down over his backside, freeing his now rock- hard penis, letting them drop to the floor. “Now, get in the bath.”

“You minx,” he growled before he kissed her hard, then stepping back and kicking his trousers and boxers off, then standing there before her, with his erection standing proudly against his groin.

Amelia just grinned, before Landen turned and stepped into the bath, slowly lowered himself into the water. If he had thought that maybe he wasn’t as tender as he actually was, the pain in his ribs as he lowered himself down almost took his breath away, minding him that he really wasn’t at full strength.

He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep, calming breaths.

“Are you okay?”  Amelia asked, and Landen could hear the worry in her voice.

“Yes,” he assured her with a smile. He hated that she was seeing him so vulnerable. Showing any weakness was the one thing Landen hated. He added with a grin, determined to show her that he was still the strong, determined man he had been. “I would be a lot better if you joined me.”

He gave her a pleading look.

“Landen, you’re hurt,” Amelia reasoned as she watched him closely.

“I’m not that hurt,” he insisted, giving her a pleading look.

Amelia stared at him for a moment. He knew she was unsure of what she should do, and if Landen was honest, he was sure that she would tell him no.

Instead, she reached for the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing, slowly pulling it up over her head. Then, as she kicked off her shoes, she opened the zipper on her jeans, before she dropped them down to the ground, kicking them away.

Landen watched her closely, as once more his body reacted to seeing her stunning body standing before him. She hesitated for a moment, before she made short work of her bra and panties.

“Just a bath,” Amelia insisted as she stepped into the bath, and carefully lowered herself down into the water at the far end of the huge, white porcelain bathtub.

“Just a bath,” Landen said with a grin, as he watched her closely. “Though, I do remember someone promising that they would wash my back if I drank the milk.”

“You really are incorrigible,” Amelia giggled, then released a long sigh.

Landen picked up his washcloth from the little shelf next to the bath and threw it at Amelia, laughing.

“Get washing, Woman,” he said with a grin. “A deal is a deal.”

Amelia sighed once more, but Landen knew she was trying her hardest not to laugh as she moved in the bath, so she was now on her knees.

“Okay,” she said as she moved closer to him, and instantly his heart began to hammer faster, as his already hard cock, pulsed with longing. “I will wash you, but you will behave, Mr. Murphy or I will tell your doctor.”

“You are no fun,” Landen pouted as Amelia moved to straddle his legs carefully, taking great care not to lean against his body, or in particular his ribs.

She began with his chest. Squirting some of his body wash onto his washcloth, she gently glided it over his broad chest, then down each of his arms, then down over his perfectly toned abs.

“Don’t forget you said you would wash my back,” Landen said as he watched her from beneath his long lashes.

“I haven’t” she laughed as she ran the washcloth back up over his chest. She leaned up on her knees, using the side of the bath for balance, before she moved closer to Landen, reaching down behind him to wash his back. As she did, her bare, perfectly formed breasts were barely inches from Landen’s face.

“I know what you’re doing,” Landen told her, as he released a long, frustrated breath. “And you are playing with fire.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Amelia said, but Landen could hear the smile in her voice.

“All you are doing is making more trouble for yourself,” Landen growled as he reached up and softly glided his hand up from her thighs to her backside. “Because when I am able, I am going to teach you a very, serious lesson.

He wanted so much to pull her down onto his waiting erection, but he knew that his body just wasn’t ready.

“And what lesson would that be, Mr. Murphy?” Amelia asked as she sat back down on his lap, staring into his eyes.

Before Landen had time to respond. Amelia smiled at him, as she glided the washcloth back down over his abs, but this time she didn’t stop until her hand reached his rock-hard length.

“Jesus!” Landen exclaimed as she took his cock in her other hand, holding it firmly, as she softly worked the washcloth up and down his entire length. “Amelia.”

“Close your eyes,” she breathed out through her soft lips, and Landen did exactly as he was told. “I want you to trust me, so keep your eyes shut.”

“Okay,” Landen whispered as he kept his eyes closed, resting his arms on either side of the bath. He had no idea what she was planning to do, but Landen didn’t care. Right at that moment, he was giving himself to her, and it was the most amazing feeling in the world.

He softly groaned as he felt her hand take hold of his cock once more, then her other hand, but this time there was no cloth, it was just her soft, delicate hand. Slowly she began to move her hand up and down his shaft with long gentle strokes.

Landen’s head dropped backward, as he fought the urge he had to watch her. But he could see her in his mind’s eye, and that, combined with the feeling of her soft hands on him, made his heart almost hammer out of his chest.

Over and over again, Amelia slid her hand up and down his cock, every so often, she allowed the pad of her thumb to glide across the throbbing head of his erection.

“Amelia,” Landen growled as his legs began to tremble beneath her, as he long to pull her to him, and make slow, sweet love to her.

Suddenly she moved, and Landen had to resist the overwhelming urge he had to open his eyes. He wasn’t sure what she was doing, but he promised he would trust her, so trust her he would.

Landen stilled when suddenly he could feel her warm breath wash over the, and before he had time to react, he could feel her soft lips close around the sensitive tip of his erection, before she took head of his cock into her mouth.

Landen instantly opened his eyes, and watched Amelia as she took his whole length into her mouth. He could barely breathe as he watched her drag her lips back up along his shaft before she took him into her mouth once more.

“Amelia,” he groaned as his whole body began to tremble. “Jesus, you are going to make me come.”

This just seemed to push her on, and she took him deeper into her mouth, then back up before she flicked her tongue across his head once more.

Over and over she worked her mouth up and down him until he knew he was going to come apart.

“Amelia,” he cried out, unsure if she would want him to pull out or not before he came. “I’m going to come now!”

Without removing her mouth, she glanced up at Landen from beneath her long dark lashes, and it was his undoing.

He came hard, erupting in her mouth, as the pleasure coursed through his body was almost indescribable. Amelia didn’t stop until she was sure Landen was completely finished.

When she finally released him, she gave him a nervous smile, almost like she was unsure if she should have done what she just had.

“You are fucking amazing!” Landen exclaimed as he sat forward pulling her to him, claiming her mouth with his, and the fact that he could taste himself on her lips was strangely arousing. He pulled his lips from hers and looked into her eyes. “Promise me that you will never run again.”

“It’s the only thing I know to do to protect myself,” she whispered as she held his eyes with hers.

“But it’s my job to protect you,” he breathed out against her lips. “Promise me, Amelia.”

“I promise,” she replied with a whisper before Landen claimed her mouth once more.”