Page 27 of Slam Dunk
Buck threw him down in a pile of hay inside a stall and slammed the door behind them. The rage in his expression had Sterling’s entire body igniting. He was about to get fucked in the hard way only Buck could do. It was fine. Sterling would take Buck’s hatred over anyone else’s love any day. At least this was real.
Chapter Ten
ThesunblindedJathanas he slowly came awake. Thick, cozy blankets covered him while a hard, delicious body acted as his pillow. God, he had missed the sound of Quince’s heart beating against his ear. He honestly had no idea why it felt like they had been together forever. Jathan was fully attached. It was like this wasn’t their first lifetime together. He couldn’t imagine never having this again.
It was slow to dawn on him that he was in his bed…and so was Quince. He experienced a moment of panic that made him realize how terrified Quince had to have been when he woke up after a month of sleep.
“How are you feeling?”
Jathan lifted his head.
Quince looked a lot better.
“How are we in bed?”
A bright smile exploded across Quince’s face. “Apparently, you haven’t slept very well the past month. You slept all the way through German moving you to the bed. I had the nurses help me join you when you still hadn’t woken after a full day. You slept almost forty-eight hours straight.”
Jathan blinked. “Wow. Well, you’re a good pillow.”
A laugh burst from Quince. It didn’t send him into a coughing fit.
“You look like you feel better.”
Quince nodded. “It seems I really just needed to get upright and moving a little. I’m still coughing some, but I don’t feel like I’m dying as much anymore.”
Sympathy poured through Jathan. He had been through so much. “I’m so sorry. All of this is my fault.”
A sweet smile touched Quince’s lips. “Please don’t. This is the first time in over a decade that I finally feel like I’m not a failure. I kept you safe, and I’d do it again. When I went down, I knew Iwas dead, and I was okay because you weren’t hurt. Maybe I’m not your bodyguard, but I am your man. I kept you safe. I did my job.”
Jathan heard him. He had silently blamed himself for failing Jayda all these years. It hadn’t gone that way with Jathan. This experience set him free. Gave him redemption. Jathan wouldn’t steal that from him. “Do you know what?”
Quince’s smile grew. “What?”
“You are my man.”
“Damn right.” The pride in Quince’s voice had Jathan grinning like a fool.
“Do you know what else?”
“What?”
“I love you.”
Quince traced the line of Jathan’s jaw. “I love you too. Do you know what?”
Jathan couldn’t temper his happiness, no matter how hard he tried. “What?”
“I’m going to be stuck in your bed for a long time. You should see me try to walk. It’s worse than a newborn horse.”
Jathan sat straight up and ended up on his knees, facing Quince. “Why in the fuck are you trying to walk?”
His eyes swam with laughter. “Baby, I have to sometime. The sooner the better.” He urged Jathan back into the arms. “Come on. Don’t you want me to get better?”
Jathan knew he grumbled like a kid, but fuck. “I’ve spent a month at your side, worrying my ass off. Have some mercy on my heart. I think I’ve aged five years.”
“Then you’re five years closer to me in age.”
Jathan snorted as he snuggled against Quince’s side. “Nothing wrong with your age.” He muttered the words under his breath, sounding childish even to his ears. Jathan felt Quince shake with laughter. His stomach suddenly growled loudly. Jathan’s hand flew to his midsection. “Sorry. Dang. I guess it’s been a while since I’ve eaten much of anything.”
