Page 61 of Never Going to Care

“I can. I’ll do whatever you need.”

“I just need you,” she gasps as my cock nudges against her entrance which I can feel is already wet and waiting for me.

I slide deep inside of her, my movements slow and controlled. I whisper against her lips, “You have me. Always. I promise.”

The way her fingers cling to my shoulders tells me it’s exactly what she needs to hear. My heart flips in my chest at the thought of giving this amazing woman what she needs. I want to be able to do it for the rest of my life. Now, I know I’ll be able to do just that.

She’s mine.

I make love to her slowly, covering her in pleasure which isn’t a sudden storm, but a steady breeze instead. There are so many ways to love this woman, my woman, and I know a steady, slow build is what she needs from me right now. I want her mindless, not because she’s swept up, but because she’s being rebuilt which is a process and not a race.

With every pump of my hips, our eyes locked together and expressing so much without words, I know she’s losing herself to the here and now instead of the might have been. I’m able to do the same. It’s hard to let go of the fear and the anger, but with her in my arms I find a way to do it.

When we’re both almost there, I skim my hand down the side of her body, making her arch up against me with the pleasure of such a simple touch. I circle her clit with my finger, pushing her just a little bit closer to release. I need her to come because I’m barely holding on.

Celeste gasps, “I love you, Hale.”

The moment her words leave her lips, she tips over the edge and takes me along for the ride. It’s a gentle roll of pleasure which overtakes us and has us floating together in a void we both get lost in. Our eyes stay locked together throughout the entire experience, even as it rearranges us on a molecular level, making us more, making us one.

As the gentle lapping of our passion starts to recede, I lean down and press my lips to hers, murmuring, “I love you, Starlight.”

CHAPTER 20

CELESTE

“We don’t have to go tonight if you don’t want to,” Hale calls out to me from the bedroom as I brush my hair in the bathroom after I finished putting on my makeup.

The way he cares for me, the way he shows me in so many little ways, sends a flutter through me. Hale Torres, the man I thought would never care for me or anyone else, loves me in a way which is boundless. It’s more than a girl could hope for and I’m not going to take it for granted.

Not now, not ever.

It’s been over a week since the incident with Joe and I’m feeling like I don’t have to look over my shoulder all the time now. It was rough the first couple of days afterward, though. Hale was right there at my side.

After the second night I woke up having a nightmare and Hale pulled me to him, running his fingers through my hair and over my back, I sobbed into his chest, “This is so silly. He didn’t even hurt me. He didn’t get the chance to make his plan into a reality. Nothing all that bad happened to me.”

Hale gripped my hair a little harder and pulled my face away from his chest. The way he looked down at me, his eyes fierce and piercing, made my breath hitch in my throat. I could see how angry he was, and I wanted to shrink away from him, but he wouldn’t let me.

“Celeste,” he growled my name, “trauma is trauma. It doesn’t matter if other people have experienced something you might deem worse than you did or not. What happened made you feel unsafe, and it traumatized you. That’s all that matters, and you need to work through it however you can, in a way that you’re comfortable with. I’ll always support that.” His voice took on an edge of steel, “What I won’t support is you trying to downgrade your experience because you think it doesn’t measure up on some scale which doesn’t even exist.”

I stared into his eyes as his words penetrated and wove through my psyche. Our eyes remained locked as I started to nod my head slowly, everything he said making sense and putting my thoughts into a new perspective.

My voice was soft, “You’re right. I just feel like I’m weak because what happened could have been worse, but even so it broke something in me.”

Hale pressed his lips against my forehead and pulled my body flush against his again. I let his warmth seep into me and give me more strength. “It’s not a competition,” he murmured. “If you’re broken, let me help to put you back together.”

I kissed the bare skin of his chest right where his heart was beating. “You already are, Hale. I wouldn’t be doing as well as I am without you. I know I’m safe with you.”

“You’re always going to be safe with me, Starlight,” he husked.

“Thank you,” I whispered against his skin.

“Don’t thank me for doing what I need to for you. Not only is it the right thing to do, but I love you and I would do anything for you,” his words held so much conviction.

I slept the rest of the night in his arms and wasn’t lost to more nightmares.

Some days have been better than others, but I feel like I’m more settled now. It helps that Joe’s mental health is being evaluated and I know he’s not free and out roaming the streets right now. I don’t know exactly what is going to happen to him, but I know Hale will always have my back.

He’s not the only one either. I know all of SP and the family they’re starting to build will have my back as well. It warmed my heart so much when the men he considers brothers showed up to give me, us, a helping hand.

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