Independence by Shelly Crane Read Free Book Online Page B

walked to me slowly an d put his arm around my back. His face was inches from mine and the way he was looking into my eyes made my breaths increase. He started softly, not quite a whisper. "I'm glad that you're not nervous. I'm glad that you're ready." I didn't blush. Yay, a point for me ! I smiled to encourage him. It must've , because he cupped my face. "The last thing I wanted was for you to be scared. I expected it," he admitted, "but I didn't want that. So to know that you're just as ready as I am…" His chest rumbled and his grip tightened a bit. "That makes me very happy."
    "I could never be scared with you," I realized. That was it, wasn't it? That was what had changed? I finally came to the realization that Caleb would never, ever hurt me under any circumstances and had risked himself over and over for me to prove it. In London, the hell we endured was just another stepping stone.
    He nodded to everything he was hearing in my mind. "I'm so glad it finally sunk in." His grin was all masculine and smugness. It was sexy and cute and endearing all at once. "These hands," he squeezed them both on my face to make his point, " wi ll never touch you without being gentle. Unless that's not what you want , of course." His eyebrow lifted waiting for me to balk, but I just waited. "These arms will never hold you back, but I'll hold you as tight as you'll let me. I can't wait for you to be all mine. You belong to me in every way, Maggie. Mine. " I nodded in his hands. He leaned closer and whisp ered, "Say it."
I didn't wait a beat. "I belong to you." And he belonged to me.
    He grinned. "You're daggum right you do." And then he pulled me closer and up to meet him. When his tongue swept into mine, I could taste the toothpaste. I giggled into his mouth at the thought. He chuckled, too, and I swung my arms around his back . His hands pulled me closer and I was just settling in when we heard one of the sleepers groan .
    I licked my lips as he pulled away. I glanced at the clock. It was after eleven in the morning. I turned around to find Beck looking at me. She was pale. Her eyes were filled with tears. She croaked, "It was real? It wasn't a dream that you came and saved us?"
    I fought my own tears at that. "No, it was real." I got on my knees and laid my head next to hers on the pillow. "How do you feel?"
    "Like I got intimately acquainted with a meat grinder."
    I smiled. "I can imagine. " The clog in my throat was very much present. " I'm really sorry."
    "What are you sorry for?" She sniffed and then glared with a second wind. "And how did you find me anyway? And what the Hades were you doing in London with college boy and why the freak didn't you tell me?"
    I laughed. "There she is." She tried to smile at me. "I'm sorry about all that, too."
    "We'll get answers later. Right now, I have to pee like nobody's business." She groaned again and tried to sit up. I reached to help her stand and saw Caleb in my peripheral. He was standing at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed, watching us. He smiled when my eyes met his. She snapped her fi n g ers in front of my face. "Hello? Help a sister out? " I slung her arm over my shoulder. "Geez, I know bathroom duty sucks, but come on."
    "Shut up," I laughed.
    I set her on the toilet and turned on the faucet, per her request. Then I waited as she finished, per her request. I asked if she wanted to shower and she said it was pointless without clean clothes. Her clothes were pretty destroyed so, I agreed. I helped her back to the bed where Ralph was awake. He sighed at seeing her. It made my heart flutter. "Beck s ."
    "Hey, sweetie," she crooned and put her hand on his cheek. "You're OK," she observed.
    " You're OK." He sighed . "God…I have never been so worried in my life. The last thing I remember was you…and you wouldn't wake up. And then I woke up and you were stroking my hair and then…" He shook his head. He pulled her close and kissed her lips. "I love you."
    She smiled, but her