Page 96 of Protecting Bree
He leaned forward and kissed her. It was meant to be a short kiss to let her know how much he adored her, but it turned into something more. Deeper. Longer. Almost desperate.
Pulling back reluctantly, he ignored the whine of complaint from Bree. “When your ribs are completely healed, I’ll show you exactly howstuckwith me you are,” he told her.
Bree pouted. “This sucks.”
It was Smiley’s turn to chuckle. “At least you don’t have to deal with this,” he said, nodding at his erection.
Bree reached for him as she said, “I can do something about that.”
But he caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “I can wait for you,” he told her. “I waited my whole life for you, I can wait a little longer.”
Her eyes widened. “That was so sweet. Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?”
He huffed out a laugh.
Then Bree leaned closer and wrapped her arms around him. Smiley immediately shifted her until she was sitting across his lap. The position was much more comfortable for them both, and he could feel her warmth all along his body.
They sat like that for a few long minutes, both enjoying the closeness and comfort of being in each other’s arms. Then Bree lifted her head. “So…when are we going to Aces?”
Smiley chuckled again, realizing he’d laughed more in the last two days than he had in probably the last ten years. Bree had brought light into his otherwise dim life. It was a huge change, and one he didn’t hate.
Looking at his watch, he said nonchalantly, “Everyone will be there in about fifteen minutes.”
“Fifteen minutes!” Bree exclaimed, trying to leap off his lap.
But Smiley held on to her.
“Smiley! Let me go. I need to get ready!”
“You’re ready enough,” he told her.
But Bree rolled her eyes. “I need to change, figure out what to do with my crazy hair, put on some makeup to hide some of these bruises a little better. I’m notready!”
He put a finger on her cheek and turned her head until he could rest his forehead against hers. “You’re perfect exactly how you are. And your friends will tell you the same thing.”
She stilled. “I don’t want them to look at me and feel sorry for me. Or remember all the bad things that happened. I want them to be happy for me. Forus. That we’re together now without Mateo hanging over our heads.”
When she put it that way, Smiley understood. He nodded and straightened as he loosened his grip around her waist.
“I love that you think I’m fine exactly how I am though.”
“You’re more than fine,” Smiley said with conviction. “Go do what you need to do. I’ll let Wolf and Kevlar know we’ll be late. They can let everyone else know.”
“We aren’t going to be late,” Bree protested.
He simply smiled and nodded. They were totally going to be late. But he didn’t care. And neither would their friends. They were extremely anxious to see her. To see for themselves that she was all right after her ordeal. And Fiona and Julie were apparently chomping at the bit to talk to her. Smiley had managed to keep them from showing up on his doorstep, but it was time. All the women needed to be reunited.
After he watched Bree hurry down the hall toward their room, he sat back against the couch and closed his eyes. A few days ago, this moment seemed almost impossible. And now, he was home with the woman he loved, she wasn’t broken or even all that bent. She was a miracle.Hismiracle. And he’d spend his life working his ass off to make the rest of her days a hundred percent better than the last week had been.
Bree was nervous. She wasn’t sure exactly why. Maybe it was because she desperately didn’t want anyone to treat her any differently than they had before she’d been taken. Or because she was worried Julie and Fiona would blame her for what had happened. She didn’t know. All she knew was that what seemed like the best idea ever a while ago, now seemed like a mistake.
“Relax,” Smiley ordered as he grabbed her hand and led her toward the door to Aces Bar and Grill.
Bree stuck her tongue out at Smiley behind his back and quickly shifted her expression to a smile when he suddenly turned to look at her.
He grinned. “Did you just stick your tongue out at me?”
“No,” she lied.
