Page 120 of Truck Hard

Whispers of Healing

Hannah

The quiet creak of floorboards beneath our feet feels deafening in the hushed darkness as Liam and I climb the stairs. My heart pounds against my ribs, a mix of anticipation and lingering nerves making my palms damp. At the top landing, I pause, turning to face him.

“I need to check on Cam,” I whisper, not wanting to break the delicate silence. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Liam’s eyes soften with understanding as he leans down to brush his lips against mine in a feather-light kiss. “Take your time.” His voice is low and warm, sending a shiver down my spine before he continues down the hall toward my bedroom.

I watch him go for a moment, drinking in the broad expanse of his shoulders, the confident set of his stride. Even after all these years, he still moves with that same purpose that first drew me to him in high school. Back then, I thought I knew what love was. Now I understand it’s so much deeper, richer, more complex than my teenage self could have imagined.

Shaking off the memories, I pad quietly to Cam’s door and ease it open. The soft glow of the lamp by his bed spills across his sleeping form, peaceful in a way I rarely saw when we lived with Charlie. His face is relaxed, one arm thrown carelessly above hishead, book open on his chest where it fell forward when he fell asleep, while gentle snores escape his slightly parted lips.

My beautiful, brave boy.

This old house may be falling apart—though we’re slowly fixing it, making it a home—but there’s more love and peace within these walls than Charlie’s mansion ever held. Here, Cam can just be a kid—playing video games, joining baseball practice, making friends without walking on eggshells. Here, we’re finally free to breathe.

I adjust his blanket where it’s slipped down, resisting the urge to smooth back his dark hair—so like his father’s.His real father.

Liam may not have raised him, but that connection was there from the start, visible in more than just their matching eyes and stubborn chins. It’s in the way they both light up talking about cars, their shared competitive streak, even the way they scrunch their noses when concentrating.

“Sweet dreams, sweetie,” I whisper before turning off his lamp and quietly stepping away, closing his door behind me.

My feet carry me down the hall to my bedroom almost of their own accord. I pause in the doorway, my breath catching at the sight before me. Liam stands at the window, his powerful frame silhouetted against the star-studded sky. The moonlight paints silver highlights in his dark hair, catching on the strong line of his jaw. He’s lost in thought, tension visible in the set of his shoulders.

“What’s on your mind?” I ask softly, not wanting to startle him.

He turns, and the raw heat in his gaze steals my breath. “You.”

That single word, loaded with meaning and desire, breaks something loose inside me. I cross the room in quick steps as he turns to face me fully. We come together like magnets snappinginto place, his hands cupping my face as our lips crash together in a kiss that sets my blood on fire.

There’s nothing gentle about this kiss. It’s all desperate need and burning passion. His tongue sweeps into my mouth, claiming me thoroughly as I clutch at his shoulders. Every brush of his lips, every stroke of his tongue speaks of possession, of coming home. I melt into him, surrendering to the intensity between us.

When we finally break apart, we’re both panting. I can feel his heart thundering against my palm where it rests on his chest.

“I need you,” I whisper against his lips. “Need to feel you.”

“I’m yours.” His voice is rough with emotion as his thumbs stroke my cheeks. “Always have been, always will be. No one else.”

My hands tremble slightly as I reach for the buttons of his shirt. He lets me work them free one by one, his heated gaze never leaving my face. When I push the fabric from his shoulders, revealing the muscled planes of his chest, my mouth goes dry. He’s beautiful and strong and scarred just like me. He didn’t get his scars the way I did, but he has them nonetheless.

His hands find the hem of my sweater, pausing as his eyes search mine for permission. At my nod, he slowly draws it up and over my head, leaving me in just my bra. The cool air pebbles my skin, but it’s his intense stare that makes me shiver.

We undress each other with reverent touches, each revealed inch of skin celebrated with gentle caresses. When I stand before him completely naked, vulnerability washes over me. Charlie’s voice whispers poisonous words in my head about stretch marks and imperfections. I start to cross my arms over my chest, but Liam catches my wrists.

“Don’t hide from me.” His voice is firm but gentle as he draws my arms back to my sides. “You’re beautiful. Perfect.”

Before I can protest, he leans down and places a tender kiss directly over my heart. “So beautiful,” he murmurs against my skin before taking my nipple into his mouth.

The wet heat of his tongue sends jolts of pleasure straight to my core. He lavishes attention on first one breast then the other, alternating between gentle suction and teasing nips until I’m gasping and squirming.

“Liam.” I moan, tangling my fingers in his hair.

He guides me backward until my legs hit the edge of the bed. “Lie back for me, sweetheart.”

I do as he asks, scooting up toward the pillows as he follows me onto the mattress. His powerful body covers mine, skin against skin, but he holds himself up on his forearms to keep from crushing me. The position brings our faces close together, his dark eyes burning into mine with an intensity that makes my heart stutter.

“I’m going to worship every inch of you.” He promises in a low voice that sends shivers racing down my spine. “Show you exactly how precious you are to me.”

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