Page 41 of Romancing Melanie
“Can you forgive me, Noah? I’m so sorry for all of the pain and confusion I caused you, I caused us. I was so broken after Darren, but you fixed me.”
This time, the love, adoration, and understanding in Noah’s expression floored her. But when he spoke, his words were the balm her wounded soul needed and every part of her felt whole again.
“When I said my wedding vows to you, I meant every single word. For better or worse, in sickness and health. I take you, Melanie Haynes. There’s nothing to forgive. You are my wife, now and forever.”
Chapter 21
Noah was cleared by the doctor to go home three days later, which was exactly two days too long in his mind. He was grateful his mom had stepped in to help with Connor, and even more thankful that she had agreed to keep him for an extra day to give him time to settle in at home.
When Mel showed up to take him home, he was feeling impatient to get out of the hospital for more than one reason. Not only was he desperate to get home and sleep in his own bed, without the noise and commotion of a hospital around him, but he was desperate to have some time alone with his wife. He ached for her, and that ache was almost as painful as the throb of his healing leg. Stolen kisses in between visits from his friends and family, or interruptions from the nurses, was just not enough. He needed to have her all to himself, so he could show her just how much he loved her and treat her the way a husband should treat his wife.
After Mel finished talking with his surgeon about his recovery and rehab needs, a conversation that seemed to last forever, Noah grabbed his crutches and stood up from his bed, ready to leave immediately. Melanie fixed him with a wry grin as she picked up his bag and the envelope that held his discharge instructions.
“Anxious to get out of here?” she asked with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Oh, how he ached to kiss that sass right out of her.
“You have no fucking idea,” he growled in response. She leaned in a gave him a quick peck on the lips, and if Noah hadn’t needed to keep his hands on the crutches so that he wouldn’t fall over, he would have pulled her in tight to his body and devoured her then and there. She was far too tempting and he needed her desperately.
“Come on, hubby, let’s go home.” This time her eyes danced with love and laughter, but he could also see just how happy saying those words made her.
After refusing the wheelchair that a nurse brought for him to use to get to the car, Noah hobbled out of the hospital on his crutches, breathing in the brisk winter air with an inhale of gratitude. He maneuvered carefully to the car, all too aware of the dangers of ice on the ground. He needn’t have worried however, as Mel hovered by his side, all the way to where she had parked.
She held his door open for him to climb in, much to his chagrin. “That’s meant to be my job,” he grumbled.
Mel just rolled her eyes. “We aren’t exactly a traditional couple, Noah.”
From the passenger seat, he looked up at her sheepishly. “I know, babe. I just want to be able to treat you the way you deserve. Like my wife.”
Her gaze softened and she bent down to kiss his lips. “We have a lifetime for that.” Then she straightened, closed the door on his smile, and walked around to the driver’s side. Once she had sat down and buckled up, Noah reached over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly.
“A lifetime won’t be long enough for me to show you how much I love you.”
* * *
Mel honestly hadn’t thought it was possible for her heart to fill up anymore, and then Noah had to go and say something sweet like that. A month ago, she would have scoffed and rolled her eyes, determined to never let sweet words get to her. But today, all she wanted to do was climb over the center console into Noah’s lap and show him just how much his words affected her.
Instead, she shifted into gear and drove them carefully back to his new house. She wondered nervously how he would react to the fact that she had moved some of her things in while he was in the hospital. Logically, he should be happy. After all, he wanted them to be a family, didn’t he? But there was still a part of her that worried it was all too fast, and he would want space. But when they got to the house, his sigh of satisfaction was reassuring. And once they were inside, and she had led him up to the bedroom, the way his eyes widened and the grin that stretched across his face at the sight of her clothes in the closet and her throw pillows on the bed, told her everything she needed to know.
“Did you move in already?” he asked, his voice a low growl that sent a wave of heat to her core.
“Started to,” she replied softly.
The fire in his eyes when he looked over at her made her pulse leap. And when he sat down on the bed, tossed his crutches to the side, and beckoned her over, it was as if her body knew to follow his command.
He pulled his shirt over his head in that sexy way, leaving his hair deliciously rumpled. When she came in close, careful not to jostle his cast, his arms reached out and lifted her shirt up. She complied instantly, removing it and the sports bra she had on underneath. His groan at the sight of her bare breasts made her shiver, but when he leaned in and captured one breast in his mouth, her shiver became a moan. She threaded her fingers in his hair, holding him closer to her body. His hands traveled down her side as he moved over to administer the same attention to her other breast. Her nips were stiff peaks, and every lick and caress sent more wet heat straight down between her legs. When Noah’s hands began to tug her pants down her legs, she found the strength to take a step back, some part of her awareness realizing he would need some help.
“Hang on there, husband, you can’t do this alone,” she said breathily. His growl of frustration made her giggle, but when he tried to balance on one leg to pull his own pants down, she grabbed him under the arms. “Let me help.”
With a huff, he sat back down on the edge of the bed, and Mel was able to wriggle his pants down over his impressive erection, with Noah lifting his hips when he needed to. Once she had him naked in front of her, she stepped back, admiring the way his muscles bunched as he moved, the lines of tension clear in his arms. She quickly stepped out of her own pants, then grinned at him saucily.
“Scoot that fine ass back, mister, and let your wife take care of you.”
He barked out a laugh at that but did as she instructed. “As long as by taking care of me you mean getting your body a hell of a lot closer to mine, we’re on the same page.”
Mel climbed up on the bed, and staying conscious of his leg, crawled up his body until her sex rested on his rigid length.
“Oh yeah, baby. We’re definitely going to get close.”
By the gleam in Noah’s eyes, Mel could tell her teasing was hitting its mark in terms of seduction. What she wasn’t prepared for, was for Noah to suddenly lunge up into a seated position, nestling her even closer to him, as he began to grind his hips into hers. She moaned as she felt her slick core rub up and down him, and he answered her with a groan of his own.
