Page 78 of Dearest Protector

“What were you dreaming about Friday night?” she asked curiously as she laid next to me in bed, her fingers toying with my hair. “Do you remember?”

Hell, yes. I remembered.

Herwalking in front of a vehicle.

Herflying through the air.

Herlanding on the pavement.

Andme, being unable to stop it from happening.

I’d had the same nightmare a thousand times since her accident, and it always ended the same way.

With Ariel broken and bleeding in the middle of the street, bravely fighting for her life.

“I remember,” I told her honestly as I opened my eyes. “You were in danger and I couldn’t save you. I’m glad you woke me up.”

“It’s weird that you dreamed about something like that,” she commented with a frown. “You actually saved me in real life. I’m not sure where I’d be right now if it hadn’t been for you. I’m happy with my new career, my bank account is flush and growing larger every day, I have people I care about who care about me, and I’m now exclusive with the hottest guy on the planet.”

“You really think I’m that hot?” I asked.

Okay, I sucked. I was a guy, and I wanted to hear about how much she wanted me before I had to break some bad news that might make her hate me.

If that made me totally pathetic, I didn’t give a shit.

She raised an adorable brow before she answered, “Do you really need to ask that question after the last day and a half? Yes, I think you’re smoking hot, Mr. Blackwood. I’ve been panting after you since we met that night of the ball on the patio. Happy now?”

Well, yeah.I was fucking ecstatic as a matter-of-fact.

“For now,” I told her with a grin. “And I didn’t save you, Ariel. You decided what you wanted and you went after it. All you needed was a small boost to help you out for a short time. You’ve been through more shit than most people could handle in a lifetime, sweetheart. Give yourself a break and the credit for your talent and strength.”

How many people lost everything like she did, and didn’t give up?

She smiled and kissed me softly before she rolled out of bed. “You’ve always been my biggest supporter, and you have no idea how much that matters,” she said as she pulled on the same pajamas I’d taken off of her late Friday night. “I think I definitely need breakfast and coffee.”

I got up and pulled on a pair of sweatpants so I could follow her to the kitchen.

We’d showered several times together, and we’d raided the kitchen for food, but this was the first time we’d actually surfaced for coffee or cooked anything since Friday.

Ariel made a huge pan of scrambled eggs and toasted us some bagels while I handled the coffee.

We scarfed down our food at the breakfast bar and took our coffee outside.

I waited until she was settled into the lounge chair next to me before I tried to ease into a discussion I definitely didn’t want to have.

But I owed Ariel an explanation, and we should have had this talk before I’d laid my hands on her.

The fact that I hadn’t told her was eating me alive.

Her first time should have been with a man she could trust with her whole heart.

Honestly, I had no excuses anymore.

She wasn’t vulnerable anymore.

She was recovered from her surgery.

Her life was coming back together perfectly.

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