Page 145 of Playing the Game
“But you won’t. How many ways do I have to tell you? I’m not letting you go.”
My instincts want to focus on her job, but I can’t do that without everything going off the rails if I do.
I lead us to the couch and sit. “Can you please try to understand this isn’t about me trusting you? This is about my insecurities.”
She turns sideways on the cushion and faces me. “I get that I’ve hurt you in the past. That part makes sense, but I need you to realize that I love you, and this relationship is the most important thing to me. If you can’t see that, what hope do we have?”
She’s got a point. Even when she finds out she has her job back, I need to give her the courtesy of believing what she’s telling me.
“You’re right. I’m just struggling.”
She scoots closer to me and takes my hand in hers. “Then talk to me about that. Don’t throw a wrench into our relationship just to get me to see you’re fearful of the future.”
“Since when did you become the rational one?” I shoot her a guilty smile.
“Since you were shot, and I almost lost you.” She leans over and kisses me.
I reach behind her head and pull her closer. There’s nothing I want more than to feel our connection right now, but my body has other plans. Pain shoots through my ribs, and I gasp.
She pulls away. “Okay, that does it. When did you last take your medicine?”
I glance at my watch. “Yikes. It’s been over six hours.”
“Oh, Jami. No wonder you’re acting like this.” She stands and hurries to the kitchen.
She finds my pill bottle and proceeds to get my medication. “You’ve got to be better about taking these. Chasing the pain is the worst thing you can do.”
“No, the worst thing I can do is fight with you.”
She shakes her head, grabs some water, and comes back to the couch.
She hands me the pills. “Take these, and then let’s finish our talk.”
I do as she asks, and she takes the water from me once I’m finished.
She places it on the table before us and sits again. “I want to clear up any doubts you’re having.”
“Wow, look at you confronting your issues head-on.” I smirk and lean over to kiss her cheek. I sit back once I’m done. “In all seriousness, I appreciate your willingness to work things out with me.”
“Like you tell me to do, I want you to communicate with me, so I need to be willing to do the same.” She carefully snuggles up to me.
I relax with her in my arms. “I’m not going to mention your job anymore. If you say you’re coming to Miami with me, then I need to trust you about that.”
“Yes, you do.” She peeks up at me. “I wasn’t just saying I promised to never leave you. When I was waiting for you to wake up in the hospital, all my answers were clear. I’m notgoing to live a life without you in it. Not if I have any say in the matter.”
“Good. I feel the same.”
“Now that we have that settled, can I entice you back to the bedroom?”
“Is that your way of saying you want to kiss and make up?”
She shrugs with a look of seduction flowing from her eyes. “Maybe.”
“In that case, lead the way.”
The following two weeks consist of me trying to wrap everything up here in town. I visit Chuck and get him set up with a handyman to help him out. He assures me he’ll keep in touch, and I do the same.
I make love to Dori whenever there’s an opportunity, talk her through her sadness and anxiety about Aiden not speaking to either of us, and try to keep the news that she has her job back a secret.
