Page 94 of Branded

Once standing in the middle of the truck bay and again on the side of the road at the hands of a distracted driver, but somehow, the universe knew we weren’t finished with each other yet.

Minus the bump on the head, a few scrapes, cuts, and a fractured arm, she came out relatively unscathed.

Because of my blatant lack of regard for my safety in the rescue, I was awarded a two-week paid suspension. I’m not mad though, because I wanted to be near if she needed anything, and selfishly I was still riding the “she took me back” high. I wasn’t ready to give that up yet.

“I want this damn thing off,” she groans, fidgeting with her sling. “It’s annoying. I need my hand back.”

“Two weeks.” I pass by her on the sofa and kiss the top of her head then lean against the far wall, just watching her with an amused grin.

“Don’t you miss sex? I miss sex. People have sex with splints on all the time. Get this thing off me and we can have sex right now.”

“We had sex last night,” I remind her with an arched brow.

“We did, and it was incredible, but imagine how much better it could have been if I could have usedbothof my arms and hands.”

I smirk, thinking back to last night when she was on her side with me tucked in perfectly behind her, thrusting myself in deep. I bit and sucked on her ear and neck, telling her how perfect she was and how much I loved her.

“I don’t know, last night was spectacular as it was, but if you’d rather hold off on any more until next week...”

“No! Don’t you dare, Isaac Black!” She points at me like a teacher scolding a misbehaving student. “I’m just whiny and annoyed.” She plops back into the couch.

I chuckle and sit next to her, prompting Herbert to hop down from his perch on the window and climb into my lap, which has turned into his favorite place to be. Sawyer hates it. I love it.

“You know what kind of sex is the best sex?”

“Doggy style with all four limbs in use?” she whines.

“Well, yes, but I was going to say morning sex.”

“That’s random, but I agree.”

“Wouldn’t you like to have morning sex... anytime you wanted?” I stroke Herbert’s back and look toward her.

She stares at me blankly, not even blinking for a second before rapidly blinking and looking away. “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”

“I did. You are only renting, and don’t think I haven’t heard you casually mentioning that your lease is ending. Sawyer, I want to see you in the mornings when you’re all messy and sleep rumpled. I want to be here when you come home after a long day. I want us to cook together and sleep together every night. I want the morning sex and the bickering then makeup sex. I want it all, Sawyer, everything. I want it with you.”

“Are you ready to have Herbert ruling the house?”

“I’ve already gotten him a litter box... and a cat hammock thing that I think he’ll like and—”

She cuts me off with a kiss to my lips before pulling away with a smile then drops her forehead to mine.

“Yes. Herbert and I would love to move in with you.”

With a fist raised in the sky, I pull her back to me and take her lips once again.

The last thing I was expecting to happen to me was to fall in love, let alone with someone I was supposed to leave behind once the job was finished, once the flames were doused.

But some flames never burn out; some can’t be tamed or muted.

Some are branded on you forever, and sometimes you don’t even know it until you least expect it.

We were placed in each other’s paths for a reason, and I’m ready to spend everyday of forever never taking that for granted.

Epilogue

Ten Months Later

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