Page 122 of It's Always Been You

“Sex hair. You look thoroughly fucked.”

Laughter.

“I love you, Caitlin.”

Her eyes opened. Antiseptic. Hospital.

She didn’t feel a damn thing. And her limbs felt like rubber. Otherwise, everything was just cool.

“Cat—”

That low, raspy voice. She turned her head and stared straight into bloodshot, sapphire blue eyes.

“Travis,” she whispered back.

His eyes grew glassy. He bent his dark head and stared at his hand, which was joined with hers as though he was struggling to control an overwhelming emotion; then he looked back at her.

“You remember me,” he choked. Then taking a long drawn out breath, he repeated. “You remember me.” He kissed their entwined fingers and then bent over to press a gentle kiss on her lips.

She smiled in contentment. She was floating back into a haze again. Probably morphine-induced, but she didn’t care.

It would bea few days before she was cognizant about the comings and goings in her hospital room. Gunshot to the back by that dickwad Crowe. The last time she was laid up for so long in a hospital she had a broken arm and leg, plus amnesia. This time was markedly different.

Starting with the love of her life.

Travis walked in, freshly showered, and he had finally shaved. He’d had three days’ worth of stubble, which Caitlin thought wasübersexy, so she lamented the fact it was gone. He was also no longer gaunt like that first day she woke up. That time, it hurt to look at him; so much pain reflected not only in his eyes but all over his face.

Today, a light danced in his eyes. He bent down to kiss her.

“What?” he asked, his lips quirked in a half-grin.

“You’re so handsome.”

“Caitlin, did you trick the nurse into giving you extra morphine?” her husband mocked.

“I did like your stubble. Why did you shave?”

“Getting too long, babe, it was itchy as hell.” He leaned a hip against the bed, his tone turning serious. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. Starting to feel the sting on my back,” Caitlin said.

“They’ve been cutting down on your pain meds. How’s your appetite? Anything particular you want to eat for lunch? I think you’ve had enough of this hospital gruel. I can get you something light and tasty if you want.”

That was about the sum of their conversation for the past three days. Small talk. For one thing, she had been out of it for a while, but Caitlin felt they had skirted around the topic enough. She knew Travis wanted to talk about the one thing that felt unsettled between them, but was worried she couldn’t handle it, so she said, “Porter said you changed your mind about Virginia Beach.”

Travis was caught off guard. “Uh . . . yeah.” He looked at her, his eyes pleading. “I didn’t even make it to the airport. I was so stupid, Cat. Forgive me? I nearly ruined us.”

“The pictures. Jase and I were undercover.”

“I know. Porter clarified everything,” Travis said, his eyes darkening slightly. “I don’t know how he managed to make me listen to him while the paramedics worked on you. He probably knew I would never talk to him again.”

“A part of me hates him, especially for what he put you through,” Caitlin whispered. “Yet another part of me gets him.”

Travis scowled at her. “I’ll never trust him again.”

“Oh, Travis.” Caitlin could see how he was hurting. Travis had looked up to Porter for the longest time, only to discover that the man he idolized had clay feet.

“He also told me when we got married, you ceasedworking undercover with Jase in that capacity. You never cheated on me, Cat.”

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