Page 54 of Make Me Whole
"Apparently, my dad had a gambling problem—which my mom knew about and for whatever reason didn't tell me. Their savings were gone. And because my dad forgot to file his will, the house was taken from me to pay off the debt. Not only did I lose the two most important people in my life, but I also lost everything else too.
"That's when the drinking got worse. A lot worse. I traded my wine for whiskey. I drank until I blacked out almost every night. It was less painful that way." Bradley leaned forward and poised his elbows above his knees. Still, I couldn't find even the tiniest speck of judgment in his eyes.
When my hands moved to the hem of my shirt, they were shaking violently. But I knew I simply had to see this through. Without giving myself a second to think, I pulled the material over my head and dropped it to the floor.
Twisting slightly, I made sure he had a good view of my scars. I heard him inhale sharply at the sight. Doing my best to avoid his gaze, I forged on. "This happened on one of those blackout nights." Two hot streaks slid down my cheeks, my voice trembling. "The details are fuzzy, but I remember the car losing control and the man with his arms covering his head. My next memory is waking up in hospital covered in cuts and bruises." I motioned toward my torso. "Somehow, I was flung out of the car and landed on a shopping cart filled with empty bottles."
'Shit, Hailey." Again, Bradley moved to stand and again I held my hand up to stop him.
"There's more." My voice was so soft, I was afraid he didn't hear. Then he gave me a small nod and sat back down. "The poor man was collecting glass bottles for money and here I come, drunk off my ass and smash into him. Luckily, he survived with only a broken leg and arm. But it could've been so much worse.
"The judge presiding over my case had known me for almost my entire life—he knew about my dad's gambling too—he took pity on me and no jail time was given on the condition I go to a rehabilitation center. I'd been staying at one up until a week before I came to the ranch. I had to use my savings to get the help I needed and because I was staying at the center, my landlord voided my lease. I lost everything."
Swiping away the tears, I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "I know it's silly, but I wanted to be honest with you."
Bradley studied me but didn't utter a single word. Try as I might, it was impossible to decipher the look on his face. I finally couldn't take just standing there anymore. Hugging myself, I walked over to the window. A bright light illuminated the sky a few seconds before the sound of thunder sliced through the air.
I wasn't expecting him, so when Bradley's arms circled me from behind, I jumped on the spot. His lips pressed against the skin below my ear before his husky voice sounded.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Hailey. We wouldn't be human if we didn't." He loosened his grip so his hands could curl around my ribcage. His mouth sliding down my neck. "Yours doesn't make me want you any less."
His lips moved back to my ear. "So, we're clear, I'm not just talking about the physical stuff." I closed my eyes as I allowed his words to touch every broken part of me. Bradley's fingers began to move; tracing every ragged line. "You're beautiful, Hailey. And these scars are physical proof that you've weathered your own storm." His hands moved to my arms; palms smoothing down until he could capture my wrists.
His hard body pushed into me from behind. I gasped when my bare skin connected with the cool glass in front of me.
Another shot of lightning lit up the night before the heavens opened and thick raindrops pelted down from the sky. Was it stupid to think this was my slate being washed clean?
Still holding on to me, Bradley lifted my arms and pinned them against the window. His breath was hot against my skin. "Let me give you what you need, sweetness." He was so sweet and tender, my heart squeezed. I didn't trust myself to speak, so I answered him by pushing my hips back.
Because his chest was pressed against my back,mybody vibrated when a deep throaty groan boomed from his lungs. His grip tightened around my wrists as his mouth latched onto my skin again; nipping, licking, sucking.
"Don't move those hands." He traded my wrists for my ribs and smoothed his palms down to my hips. His movements were slow and methodical causing my entire body to tingle in anticipation.
My breathing picked up when he fingered the button of my jeans before releasing it with a soft pop. The denim covering my legs felt heavy, and I wanted it gone. I wiggled, hoping it would just slide off.
Two big hands clamped down on my hips. "You're gonna have to be a lot more patient than that." A needy whimper I hardly recognized slipped from my mouth. Unfazed, Bradley continued his slow torture by crouching down behind me before lifting first my right foot then my left to slip off my sandals.
Then he smoothed his hands up my denim-covered legs and curled his fingers around my waistband. Every cell in my body was alive and humming, and yet, he took his sweet time dragging the heavy material down my legs.
Once I kicked it to the side, his palms dragged along my legs again. Up and up until he could hold on to my hips. My breath caught when he touched his lips to the small of my back. Peppering my skin with soft kisses as his mouth moved over the bumps of my spine.
"Bradley," I moaned, when he reached the crook of my neck. "You're teasing me."
His lips never left my skin. "I am." He flexed his hips, and I almost whimpered again. "The build-up makes the reward so much better."
Oh. My. Damn.
My fingers pushed against the glass, white-hot need burning through my veins. Bradley's fingertips skimmed up my back before leisurely tracing along the band of my bra. "This needs to come off."
"Yesss," I hissed.
His chuckle was low and gravelly; it made me all hot and tingly. "Turn around, sweetness." I slid my palms down the glass until I could push off it and do as I was told. The instant I faced him, he surged forward; one hand gripping my hip while the forearm of the other was perched against the glass above my head.
The sinful mouth that'd been torturing me for who knew how long pressed against mine in a deep, needy kiss. His tongue pushed past the seam of my lips to taste, devour and claim.
I flattened my palms against his chest and even though he was still wearing his t-shirt, the warmth of his skin seeped through and his muscles jumped against my fingers. He took a step forward; pressing deeper into me.
And then he was gone.
