Page 72 of Fake It Till You Make It

“I’m assuming that’s not a euphemism for managed?”

“Afraid not.” She frowned. “Mom had to save from themoney he gifted her for managing his medical practice. Submitting his billing, dealing with the insurance companies, following up with patients on their lab reports. She did it all.”

“Your mom sounds like a real gem.” So, she’d grown up watching her mother multitask a difficult husband, a busy practice, and motherhood. No wonder she’d swooped into Service like a modern-day Wonder Woman. She’d been raised by a mother who navigated a marriage to a piece of crap.

“She was. Even bought me a dog, a short-haired beagle, Princess. But she was too young for our adventure.”

Amarie sounded sad now. Instinctively, Eli knew the end of the story wouldn’t have a happy ending.

“What happened?”

“Things got tough. We didn’t eat some nights. Mom would distract me by painting my toes. Then she would let me do hers—any color I wanted.”

The way her voice tightened as if every word strained for release, Eli got the sense that nighttime food scarcity had stretched into daylight hours, too.

“You do love your snack packs.” He stroked his fingers up and down her spine, providing comfort to the little girl wrapped up in the heart in his woman. Yep, she was his now. And Eli had every intention of making more good memories, starting with tonight.

“True.” She teased the fine hairs dusting his chest. “My therapist suggested healthy snacks and water to stave of hunger signals when they occur. Otherwise, the anxiety about the next meal, if and when it will come, turns me into a beastly diva. You know, like those old candy bar commercials.”

Eli rolled to his side, shifting their bodies until they were face to face. “No divas allowed on my watch. I’ll keep you fed.”

Amarie’s eyes widened in understanding and her gazelowered to his mouth. His double meaning came through loud and in stereo. He wanted her again. Couldn’t get enough of this brave and beautiful woman.

“I bet you will,” she leaned in, nipping his lower lip before sucking in her mouth and releasing.

He watched as she made a slow, wet trek across her lower lip, and then sank her teeth into the swollen flesh.

“What happened with Princess?”

“I’m pretty sure my father gave her away to punish my mother for leaving.”

Eli pulled up. “That’s pretty low-down for a father to do to his wife and child.”

She nodded. “I felt the same gut-churning sickness when Bucky tried to deprive Phoebe of her kittens.”

Eli’s breath hitched. Understanding dawned. The connection he’d missed when Amarie had stormed off at the wedding ready to rescue Ruth and Phoebe from a badly behaving father. He’d tried to stop her, not realizing she’d been triggered. He wanted to hold her for a different reason then.

“Amarie—” His voice broke apart at the reverence he placed on her name.

“Yes, Eli?”

“Don’t go back to Mom’s place. Stay with me.”

“I am, silly.”

“No, I mean every night.”

“You’re offering me a key to your kingdom, Eli Calvary?” she asked, sliding both her arms around his neck.

“This is Service. Don’t need a key, my door is always open,” he rasped, and so was his nose. And Eli wanted Amarie’s sweet apple aroma simmering under his roof. When Amarie giggled, he pulled her on top of his hardness and buried his face in her neck. He loved coming home.

Chapter Twenty

ONE WEEK LATER,Amarie awoke on a makeshift palette under the large pine tree facing the water. The afternoon started with a hot cup of coffee in her hand, courtesy of Eli, grass in her locs, and her best friend’s daily call. Their conversations had dwindled to fifteen minutes after Vali’s night shifts but before her bedtime. Or, like today when she had seventy-two hours away from the unit, they could relax and catch up. And Amarie could delay looking up her exam results.

Vali’s voice was animated telling tales of patients behaving badly, grabbing a handful of her assets on the sly, but Amarie was candy hearts and gumdrop eyes. And achy lady parts. Being plush in places had advantages. Who knew she could be conditioned for sex in the great outdoors? But she didn’t regret one sore spot.Enthusiasticandgenerouscould be used to describe Eli’s lovemaking. Comparatively, Russell was downright anemic. She’d unwittingly deprived herself of amazing sex. Who knew sweaty, grabby, rolling-in-the-hay—which she was willing to try now—butt-naked sex under the pale eye of a lover’s moon could transform her into a sex addict. She craved Eli’s touch. Couldn’t get enough of his, well, everything.

“Girl, I hate to say this, but you might have to tell Russell to stop calling me for his own safety.”