Page 119 of Back To Our Beginning

There was a pause.

Beau laughed. “She does, huh?” He looked over at me, then put the phone on speaker.

“You’re on speaker, Maddie’s listening. I’ve got a favor to ask.”

“Hi, Maddie. What’s the favor, Beau?”

“One of Maddie’s kids has a dog that was abused right along with the kid.”

“Is this Eli?” Kai asked.

“Yep,” Beau answered.

“So, what’s the favor?”

“He’s currently in a no-kill shelter in Pigeon Forge. He’s not in good shape. Pissed at the world. I finally got him to take a treat from my hand. He’s Eli’s dog, but after all the abuse he took from Bruce, I don’t trust him with Eli, and I just don’t have the time to gentle him.”

Kai laughed. “I get where you’re going with this. Marlowe loves dogs. You’ve both met Chaos, Marlowe’s Bernese Mountain dog. He’s a gentle beast. Chances are, she’ll do better gentling this dog than I will. But I’ll check things out. I’ll see what I can do about having him transferred to somewhere here in Jasper Creek. We’ll work with him. We’ll make sure Eli and his dog are reunited.”

I could feel tears starting to well, but I blinked them back so I could concentrate on the road. Dammit, my man really did intend to rescue the Western Hemisphere.

“Thanks Kai, I appreciate it.”

* * *

If it weren’t for Beau, the pizza wouldn’t have even made it to the fridge. I was fine with leaving it on the counter. For some reason, I was coming apart. Seeing Sparks and how damaged he was because of Bruce and knowing that Eli had been just as damaged. Knowing that Beau was leaving me again, no matter how much we loved one another. Even the stress of what the guys were calling the ‘op’ even though it had worked out. It all seemed like too much, and I needed Beau’s arms around me.

“Hey. What’s going on?” Beau asked when we reached the bedroom.

I dropped my head to his chest and shook my head.

He put his knuckles under my chin and lifted it. I hated he could see the tears in my eyes.

“Maddie? Honey? What’s wrong? You gotta tell me, so I can fix it.”

“Hold me?”

“Always.”

He wrapped his arms around me, and I slid mine around his waist, holding on like I’d never let go.

“I’ve got you, Maddie. I’ll always have you.”

God, I prayed that would always be true.

I don’t know how long we stood there, just breathing, just being. A moment? A minute? Forever?

Then, like he could read the shift in me, Beau moved. He scooped me into his arms and laid me gently on the bed, following me down like it was the most natural thing in the world.

My emotions were still spinning out of control, and Beau was my only anchor in a world gone mad. I desperately grabbed at his shirt, trying to yank it over his head. He caught onto my need. This time there was no laughter, only quiet acquiescence in the face of my desperation.

Soon we were both naked, but it wasn’t enough for me. I needed… something. I didn’t even know what. Just more of him. Of us.

“It’s going to be all right, Maddie. I promise you,” he crooned.

“You can’t know that. You can’t promise that.” My whisper was desperate.

His hands stroked boldly up and down my body, proving he knew me, that I was his. I arched into his touches.