Page 32 (1/2)

"I think I’ care of you"

He swept his thu away the remnant of a tear "You did"

"I’m sorry, Gavin I didn’t mean to fall apart like that" She tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t let her, held her there in his arms

"You’re entitled to care about my father"

"Of course I care about your father"

She was trying to brush it off as so to let it go that easy "Sometimes the world falls apart Sometimes your world falls apart And it’s okay for you to let people in and let them see you crumble"

She lifted her chin, her barriers back in place "You didn’t cru me around for hours noouldn’t have been able to find uiding me I was in a haze, Lizzie I couldn’t have done it without you helpingto the spikes of her lashes Her eyes ide pools of sea green,him Her lips parted, and he suddenly wanted to offer her comfort and maybe take some for himself

He brushed his lips against hers Without question she kissed hiing in as the quiet kiss turned er flashed between them, and Gavin pushed her onto the bed Elizabeth pulled off her top, kicked off her sandals, and scooted back on the bed, already drawing her Capris down her hips while he tore his shirt over his head and reached for the button and zipper of his jeans

She had her bra and panties off by the tirabbed her, needing the feel of her skin against his It had only been hours since they’d er that hadn’t even coive hiet lost inside her, to shut out what had happened at least for a little while, to feel nothing but pleasure, nothing but her heart beating against his, his cock swelling inside her, her heat surrounding him

She held out her arms, and he came to her, already hard He slid inside her and put hisbut her touch, her taste, her skin against his Her ainst his around hi up on his hands to look down at her as her gaze met his Her lips parted, her lids partially closed as he shifted and ground against her, ainst her clit He wanted to take her there, to make her come so she’d shatter around him

She scored her nails down his ar to his balls He shifted and drove deeper inside her, reaching for one of her legs so he could push her knee against her chest, needing to be deeper inside her

"Kiss me," she whispered

He dropped down on top of her, slipped one hand underneath her, and pressed his lips to hers His balls tightened as he felt the rushing train of his cliue wound with his, and all he could think of was being alive The only thing thatone with her, losing hiainst his lips Her pussy convulsed around hihtened his hold on her and let go, groaning as he ca there was no one he could let go with like this but Elizabeth

After, he kissed her neck and her earlobe, and tunneled his fingers in her hair before lifting up to look at her

"Thank you"

She sers over his brow "You’re welcorab a shower and change of clothes, he pulled her against him, stroked her hair, and kissed the back of her neck

"Do you need to go? Do you have work to do?" he asked

"Nothing that can’t wait" She turned to face him, pulled the covers up over them both, and laid her head on his chest "Sleep, Gavin"

He was out as soon as he closed his eyes

TWENTY

ELIZABETH HAD BEEN GLUED TO GAVIN’S SIDE FOR THE past teeks She’d told hi with her work that it couldn’t be rescheduled or handled by phone and laptop

The Rivers understood his dilemma with his father and had pulled soues to take his place at first base There was no way Gavin was going to leave his father’s side right now

The surgery went fine, thank God Seeing his father after had just about done hi machines, his for Gavin hadn’t wanted to admit

His father was hu Gavin ever wanted to think about, especially where his parents were concerned It wasn’t ti while

He spent every second he could at the hospital, helping his , which was okay because he kne stressed she was Between him, Mick, Tara, and Jenna, they made sure she was never alone One of theery, or at least he tried to When he wasn’t sleeping, he was either being poked and prodded by the nursing staff or hauled off somewhere for some test

How the hell were patients supposed to recover in the hospital when the staff never let theed his dad’s ass out of bed the day after surgery, so that surprised the hell out of Gavin He and Mick even questioned the nursing staff about it, and Mick went on the hunt for the cardiac surgeon, certain the nurses were out of their goddaot his dad out of the bed and walking around, the quicker he would recover

Four days post surgery, his father alking up and down the halls, no longer connected to tubes or IVs, and eating solid food again, soo home The doctor had said maybe the next day if he continued to be a pain in the ass and a medical miracle, and performed as well as he had been His dad said he’d run around the daed

That made Gavin smile His dad cranky and impatient? Yeah, that sounded normal to him

True to his word, his father had walked the entire floor They’d discharged hiet some sleep at ho in and out all day long Jenna, Tara, and Elizabeth had ht his dad ho food in the house Since Dad wouldn’t be able to take the stairs for a while, they’d set up the downstairs guest roo Dad hated but he’d just have to deal with At least he was ho to let hi She had him up twice a day for walks around the house and in the backyard, the best he could do the first week She was like a drill sergeant She had his schedule mapped out and knehat to feed him, knehat his exercise schedule was down to the hour and minute of the day, knehat pills he was supposed to take and when his doctors’ appointments were And she at least allowed her kids to help

Jenna had gone back tothe bar since they’d enlisted aunts, uncles, and cousins to take over while they were standing vigil at the hospital The bar didn’t run itself, though, and Jenna was itching to get back to work

Gavin, not soroom with his dad, Mick, and Elizabeth Tara had taken Mos

They atching a baseball gaainst San Francisco

"The first baseood"