Page 69 of Cursed Luck
With images of them at the cabin on his mind, he fell asleep. His frayed nerves began to heal as he held her. When she woke him the next morning, her lips trailing along his skin as her heat teased the tip of his already engorged dick, he eagerly pushed into his slice of heaven.
After a quick shower, they grabbed a bite to eat and he helped her open the shop. He watched Mia work in the back room when the door chimed, and his back straightened. Mia turned, and he glared at her. “You stay here. Let me go see who it is,” he stated firmly.
“Damn it, Edward, this ismyshop,” she snapped at his back.
“Oh my God, where is she? I heard what happened!” Claudia cried as she hurried toward Edward. “I can’t believe Max kept this from me!”
He moved in time to watch Claudia throw her arms around Mia. The two women hugged as Mia reassured her she was okay. When Max had learned of the shooting, he’d decided to not tell Claudia. She’d left with the pack on an assignment for two days, so there was nothing she could do for them anyway.
“If I’d stayed, that never would have happened!” Claudia cried.
He watched the two argue back and forth, and he smiled. It was clear Claudia was the perfect person to help Mia. He didn’t blame anyone but the bastard who had come in for what happened. Edward glanced at the time and sighed. He should have left for work by now, but he couldn’t seem to make himself leave her.
“I’m glad you’re here, Claudia. I know you two will do a great job taking care of each other,” he said.
“I don’t need to be taken care of, Edward!” Mia snapped, her hands flying to her hips.
Claudia shook her head. “You Broderick men…” She turned toward Mia and said, “I wish I could say it gets better.”
Edward moved toward her, hoping to plead to her better judgement, but a vine came out of nowhere and barred him from stepping closer. “Seriously?”
“It’s time for you to go to work,honey,” Mia stated, a pleased smirk on her face.
He looked from one woman to the next and decided to give up on the fight. If they were feeling feisty, there was no chance of winning. Plus, it meant she was on the road to recovery.
Chapter 30
Carter may have healed her of the incident, but when she could not force the thoughts away, they slipped into her dreams. Each time, it was something different. She was at gunpoint, or Edward was, or Claudia, or someone else she loved…
With Edward out of town on business and Claudia helping her, she decided to take a quick trip to a neighboring forest. There, she lay on the earth and let it heal what Carter could not. She specifically asked not to hibernate and was thankful to be heard.
Feeling and sleeping better, she found she was eager to have her ogre of a mate home. It was time to lay it all out for him. Living with an elephant in the room was exhausting, but telling him she loved him over the phone wasn’t right.
The fairy trinkets he’d gifted her were a reminder of his thoughtfulness, as were the cards his family had delivered. Each person had insisted they were there to only drop it off, but she could tell they had been sent to make sure she was okay—as if Claudia’s near constant presence wasn’t enough to calm their worries.
“When’s Edward due back?” Debbie asked as she looked over the house plants.
“He was supposed to be back yesterday but said the trip was extended a day,” Mia said as she trimmed rose stems.
Claudia came in from the back room, holding a box of vases for the wedding. “Works for us, so we can focus on these flowers without his hovering ways.”
Debbie laughed. “I bet it helps.” She padded to the counter with a ponytail palm in hand. “This guy is so beautiful, and I can’t wait to see it on the back porch!”
“It’s a great choice,” Mia said in agreement as Claudia rang her up.
“Mia, just know I’ve never seen Edward so lively. You might need to set some boundaries for him but know his ways are out of an overabundance of love he has for you,” Debbie told her softly.
She smiled at her, unable to admit they had not discussed love. “Thanks.”
Once Debbie left, Mia leaned against the counter and opened his card.
Mia,
I miss you more than the trees miss the sun.
Edward
She smiled and shook her head. Every card had been similar. He’d written one line, mostly cheesy, about how much he missed her. None of them included the word love, but each time she read them, she addedwith loveto his signature.
