page90 (1/2)

“Mack,” Rose called in exasperation “Come sit dohile I make dinner”

“I haven’t seen you naked or had oin’ up those stairs”

She jogged around me and planted herself directly in my path, her hands on her hips

“Jacob MacKenzie,” she said, ht? One night where we have dinner and sleep in our own bed and I don’t have to worry” Her eyes filled with tears

“Aw, baby,” I said, instantly feeling like shit “Come here”

She came to me and wrapped her arainst ery scars that were alreadyto be one hundred percent for a while, but the hardest parts were behind us, thank Christ

“I’ll co out while youthe feel of her againstsince I’d held her

“Thank you,” she said “I’ll sleep naked tonight”

I grinned “You’re so good to me”

“Say that again tonight when you’re hard as a rock and I won’t ride you”

I let her leadup on a chair

“We should have a fire in the pit tonight,” I said as she pulled things out of the fridge

“Getting pretty antsy to be outside, huh?” she asked sympathetically

“Swear to God, hospitals have recycled air, like airplanes,” I gruh

“I don’t think so”

“Entire place stinks,” I said with a sigh “It’s good to be home”

As we ate dinner, we discussed the logistics of our new norht with my parents so they could take her to school the next day, but after that, we’d all be in the sa wait It was nice to spend the first night ho starving for her—not just her body, though that craving was insane—but for her smiles and her looks across the table and the way she moved around the kitchen

I followed her outside after the dishes were cleared away, and sat on a lawn chair while she lit the fire Dalad when I was healed up and she didn’t have to wait on me As I watched her, I couldn’t help but smile I knew Rose couldn’t wait for ot off on helpingcare of the people around her It was her thing

“Sit with me,” I said as she finished

“I can’t,” she said, looking at me in indecision “I don’t want to hurt you”

“You won’t hurt ood”

“Both of your legs are good,” she said as she sat down gingerly on h