Page 31 of Adoring Ink

He opened his eyes to meet hers. “I need to know you’re okay, Holly. I need you in my arms. I can ignore my ribs for now as long as I know you’re here.”

She stayed still, but worry and fear webbed their way around her heart. “I’m hurting you.”

He winced but reached out to cup her face. “No, you aren’t. The rock hurt me. I’m just so fucking glad you’re alive, baby. I don’t know what I would have done if you had gotten hurt. You’re okay, right? Nothing aching?”

Just her heart.

Tears slid down her face as the others worked around them, talking, making sure everyone was okay, but she only had eyes for Brody.

“I almost lost you,” she whispered. She’d been so angry with him, but now it felt all wrong.

“You didn’t,” he croaked. “But I could have lost you because I’m a fucking idiot. I shouldn’t have pushed you away. I shouldn’t have destroyed what we could have because I couldn’t face myself. I lied, Holly. I lied, and I hurt both of us in the process.”

She swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”

“I love you, Holly Rose. I love you so fucking much. I was so scared to hurt you or let anyone close that I ignored the fact that you were already as close as you could possibly get. I love you. I want you in my life and in everything else that’s part of me. I want to make more lists with you and find out what else we can do together. Forgive me, baby. Forgive me for acting like an asshole with his head buried in the sand. Please tell me you still love me. Please don’t walk away like I did to you.”

Tears were flowing freely as she pressed her fingers to his lips. “This isn’t the shock of the accident talking, is it?” She wasn’t sure if she could bear it if it were.

He kissed the tips of her fingers, and she lowered her hand. “I came here today to tell you all of that. I just didn’t expect to almost lose you to water before I did.”

She hadn’t made the connection, and now she was breaking for him all over again. Oh, hell, this must be killing him, but if what he said were true, then he’d come down to the river for her, and had wanted to say all of this before the accident.

So she did the only thing she could do.

She took that risk.

Jumped off that bridge.

Fell once more.

“I love you, too. I’ll always love you, Brody.”

“Always,” he whispered.

The EMTs came over at that moment, and she got off his lap. “Hey,” he called out, gripping her hand. “Unzip my pocket, I have a present for you.”

One of the EMTs snorted, and Holly laughed. “What did I tell you about your lines? You need to work on them.”

Brody laughed and then coughed. “Ouch. Okay. Laughing isn’t good right now.”

The EMT who hadn’t made a sound before shook his head. “Pretty sure you bruised a rib, but you get to take an ambulance ride to make sure it’s not broken.”

“Yay,” Brody said dryly.

She pressed her lips together, worry for him washing through her. “Brody.”

“I’m going to be fine,” Brody explained. “Can she ride with me?”

The EMTs looked at one another and nodded. “Yeah. We’re going to check everyone out just in case, but she can ride with you.”

“Good, now check my pocket, baby. I promise it’s something you want.” He winked, despite the pain she saw in his eyes. “And not that.”

She huffed out a breath and bent to unzip his pocket. When she pulled out a small, waterproof bag, she frowned.

“Open it,” Brody said as the EMTs worked on him.

Her hands shaking, she did as he asked and gasped. It was a silver—or white gold, she wasn’t sure—charm bracelet. But that’s not what made her cry. No, it was the charms he’d placed on there that made her want to wrap her arms around the man she loved and never let go.