Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
I shook my ass in a little impromptu dance maneuver to display what she was missing. Even though it turned the edge of Silas’s lips up, I still sensed tension radiating off him.
“Will you miss being married to a woman? I mean… I can’t give you babies, Way. Not like Eden could.”
I was surprised by his insecurity. “Silas. I don’t want Eden. I don’t want a woman. And I don’t want kids if it means I can’t have you, too. I don’t need any of that. What I need is my husband, the man I’m in love with. Do you understand?”
“You might change your mind.”
I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him. The feel of his body never failed to light me up all over. “I might,” I admitted. “I know well enough to never say never. But I can tell you this… I can’t imagine that happening. Not with the way I feel right now. I’ve never felt anything like what I feel for you. Not with Eden, and not even in my daydreams.”
I took a breath before continuing. “I’ve thought a lot about that night in Vegas, about why I would have done something so out of character, so unbelievable. And here’s the thing. I remember how I felt when I was with you that night. I felt… I felt seen. Understood. Happy. And I knew even then I didn’t want it to end.”
My words seemed to sink in. His expression softened, and the tension faded from his body. “Same. Being with you is the first time I stopped thinking about work long enough to learn a little more about myself. I saw how valuable you are in Majestic, how loved you are. And I wanted to be part of it. I love watching you interact with your friends and neighbors, and I get pleasure out of seeing their faces light up when they see you coming. You are living this life that…” He paused for a beat. “That’s generous and kind. It’s the way I always wanted to be, but I didn’t know how to do it outside of the corporate structure. I’m great at helping people in business. And I enjoy that. But you’re great at helping people full stop. And I realized that’s more in line with what I want and the kind of life I want to live, the kind of person I want to be.”
Silas and I had spent a lot of time in the past two months getting to know each other, but he’d never been that open with me before.
“We can do it together,” I said with a voice made wobbly by emotions.
His grin made the rest of me just as wobbly.
“Silas?” The woman in the hospital bed was pale, but I could still see her resemblance to my husband.
“I’m here,” Silas said, tugging my hand to pull me closer to the bed. “I brought someone for you to meet.”
Camille looked tired and sore but remarkably alert for someone who’d been sedated all night. “Are you the cowboy?” she asked with a crooked grin.
“Are you the chemistry genius?” I teased back, reaching out to gently squeeze her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Your brother’s very proud.”
Her eyes flicked to Silas’s. “Who knew he would be the one to enjoy bragging about having a doctor in the family. The man is still terrified of shots.”
Silas leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You must be feeling better if you’re already spilling my embarrassing secrets.”
Her smile dimmed. “You must have freaked out. You got here fast. Kenji?”
Silas nodded. “He was on top of it, as usual.”
She turned back to me. “Thank you for keeping him company. You didn’t need to come all this way.”
Instead of correcting her and explaining we hadn’t come together, I simply nodded. “I didn’t want him to be alone. He was very worried about you.”
Silas’s hand snuck into mine and held on tightly.
Camille turned back to Silas. “I was scared. While it was happening.”
I felt the tension in his grip and heard the heartbreak in his voice. “I can’t imagine.”
All of us knew he was holding back from what he really wanted to say, whatever magical words might entice her to change jobs and put herself in a safer position. I was proud of him for holding back while she was in such a state.
“Luis Alamilla was the security guard who lost his life,” she whispered. “He had three kids, Silas.”
“We’ll help them,” he said, crouching down and reaching out to hold her hand. He still didn’t let go of mine with his other. “We’ll make sure they’re taken care of.”
She nodded and looked away. Tears fell down her cheeks as she sniffed. I stepped away to grab the box of tissues off a nearby counter and handed it to her.