Fearless

Chapter Nine

Skin. Just touching his skin, feeling his warmth, incredible how much it made me want to weep. Like, actually fall down on the ground and sob my eyes out because by touching his skin, by feeling that warmth, I knew he was alive and by knowing he was alive, I realized…being married to him? It was totally real. Funny, how sometimes we need to keep touching things so we know they’re real—even better? That I’d spend the rest of my life touching him, touching Wes Michels. And every touch would remind me, that blood flowed through his veins, that his heart beat strong, that it beat in perfect cadence with mine. —Kiersten

Kiersten

Wes was still staring at me. I fought between wanting to actually stay in that parking lot and letting him maul me—and driving off so we could be alone.

“I love you,” I whispered. “Just in case you weren’t aware.”

“I’m aware,” Wes said quickly, his blue eyes widening a bit as if trying to take in more of what was in front of him. “With every word that comes out of your mouth. Damn Kiersten, if all you did was say nonsense all freaking day. If you talked gibberish but still looked at me the way you’re looking at me now—I’d know. I’d know without a shadow of a doubt that you were mine.”

I nodded, unable to really speak. Wes had a way of doing that to me, one-upping me or really just putting into words what I wasn’t capable of speaking. It was as if he knew my soul and was able to explain the depth of my heart without actually asking me in the first place what I was trying to communicate.

“But—” Wes closed his eyes for a brief moment and buckled his seat belt. “The parking lot, probably not the best place to attack you and that—” He licked his lips and hit the steering wheel. “Yeah…I’m undone.”

“What?” I laughed nervously. “What do you mean?”

“Undone.” He stared straight ahead. “When a person reaches the end of their rope only to find out they’re only half way through their journey but lack the nutrition and energy to get there. You’ve stripped me of all my defenses, I’m like a camel without water—”

“Do camels need that much water to—”

“The point—” Wes chuckled, glancing in my direction. “—is I have nothing left. All I want is you. My entire focus is on you. My soul desires yours, my heart beats with yours, my life won’t continue in the direction its supposed to—without your hand to lead the way. So as much as I want to sit here and stare at you like a complete lunatic who’s lost his mind…” He sighed and pulled out of the parking lot. “I have a surprise for you. Alone. Away from watchful eyes. Alone. God, Kiersten, you have no idea how much I want to get you alone.”

Wes pulled back onto the freeway and then took the next exit. He didn’t look at me, just kept talking. “I need you alone so I can spend every second, every minute, every damn hour, worshipping your body.” He took the second downtown exit towards Pikes Place. “I could spend years just staring at your hair, let alone your eyes, your lips, you drive me to distraction. Like I said you undo me, I don’t feel complete when I look at you but like a total mess of emotions, like I have no control over anything except for the fact that I know with a fierce determination that you were made for me and I was made for you.” He stopped the car at the first stop light then drove down the hill and parked in a random spot in front of the Sound. He turned the car off, unbuckled his seatbelt and turned towards me. “I can’t explain. I wish I could. I wish there were words I could use, really big words, pretty words, words that would make you swoon and cry all at once. But all I have is this…” He sighed, tears welling in his eyes. “I am yours. And you are mine.”

My eyes blurred as Wes gripped my left hand in his and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to my palm.

The thing about Wes? It was impossible to respond to most of the things that came out of that guy’s mouth. It would be like blowing out a candle. His words seeped into my soul and stayed there.

He stayed there.

I closed my eyes, gripping his hand in mine.

I was his.

He was mine.

Squeezing his hand, I opened my eyes and let out a little breath. Together, we’d stormed the gates of hell, and returned unscathed. Whatever life had for us, whether it be illness or any other giant—we’d go into battle together. Because he wasn’t just my husband, but my friend, my partner, my lover.

My everything.

“We’re here.” Wes unlocked the doors.

I looked around. “Downtown? Are we staying in a hotel down here?” That would be really fun. I mean, I kind of expected Wes to do something different. Not that staying at a hotel downtown wasn’t cool, but he did just marry me in the same room he almost died in so, yeah…maybe a bit of a let down.

“Just wait.” Wes winked. “Oh, and this is for you.”

He handed me a black scarf.

“Er, you shouldn’t have?” I took it from his hands and dangled it between us.

Chuckling, he swiped it from my hands and quickly tied it around my head. “Can you see me?”

“You have a serious issue with blindfolding people,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

He laughed and then tugged the blindfold tighter.

“Are you waving in front of me right now?” I asked.

“You tell me,” he whispered.

“Yes?”

“Lucky guess.” He laughed. “Now sit still while I grab our bags and attempt to walk you across the busy street without getting hit by a car.” The car door slammed and when mine opened seconds later, the smell of rain tickled my nose. “Pretty sure my six-year-old self would give me a high five if he could see me now,” Wes boasted.

“Because you were able to blindfold your wife and park within the lines?”

“Hilarious.” Wes pulled me to my feet. “And no, because I get to play real-life Frogger with my wife!”

I sighed, shoulders slumping. “Let me guess, I’m the damn frog.”

“High five.”

I lifted my hand and received a slap from Wes and more laughter. I tried to stay serious I mean he did just call me a frog on our wedding night, but his laugh was infectious.

“You love me.” Wes kissed the top of my head. “Admit it.”

“Only if you admit that you have a problem with blindfolds.”

“You really think you’re in a position to complain?” Wes’s hands moved from my face and landed on my shoulders, and then slowly, his fingertips grazed my breasts as his hands moved down to my hips.

I shuddered.

“Thought so,” he whispered. “Now, hold my hand, while I romance you.”

“In a parking lot. Playing Frogger. Blindfolded.” I counted the three things off on my fingers. “Seems like you have a lot to make up for.”

“I brought Red Bull.” Wes wrapped his arm around me. “Believe me when I say, you’ll be my entire focus…not just for the next few hours, but the rest of our lives.”

We started walking. No idea what direction, but we went slowly. “Almost makes up for the Frogger comment.”

“Believe me, in about fifteen minutes, you won’t even remember your middle name let alone the fact that I compared you to a video game.”

The sound of traffic blared in my ears. We stopped, and then walked across the street. I only knew it was a street because I could look down and see the asphalt.

The road slowly turned into a sidewalk, and then, we were indoors. I just had no idea where.

“Wait here.”

Wes left me on a soft couch. The fabric felt like velvet beneath my fingertips. Were we in a hotel? Or a restaurant? It smelled good. Shrugging, I sat and waited. Waited while Wes Michels went about doing what he does best—shock and awe.

I was happy to wait—until I heard an ambulance in the distance, and then all of a sudden—I was back where I was last year. In the hospital. Waiting for Wes to either live—or die.