More Than Friends (New Beginnings - Book 1)

Chapter 17

After fifteen minutes of trying to find a comfortable position to sleep, I give up, lay flat on my back and stare at the ceiling. I can feel the frustration coming off from Lucas too, so I close my eyes and count to ten, focusing on my breathing like the nurses taught me at the hospital.

The doctors said there wasn't much they could do about my ribs. So unless I had a fever, vomit or had problems breathing, I would be just fine in a few weeks. According to them, ribs mostly heal by themselves and a cast around my chest would just prevent me from breathing well.

"What can I do?" Lucas sits by my side on the bed and caresses my cheek.

"Can you kiss it and make it better?" I bite my lower lip, trying to keep a straight face.

"Hmmm, I think I could do that..." He presses his other hand to my side and I'm suddenly surrounded by him.

He leans his head and gives me a peck on the lips so fast I don't even have time to close my eyes. "Is it better, now?" He smirks.

"No, I think you can do better than that." I smile, savoring this moment with him.

His eyes search mine for a second, and I think he'll not give me what I want. But then I see the exact moment he closes his eyes, so I give in. He kisses me so tenderly I feel it through my whole body.

"What about now?" he whispers, his lips still touching mine.

"Lucas..." I hold his face with both hands and kiss him deeply.

The moment I feel his tongue touching mine, I realize that as crazy as it may be, I'm falling for him. I just hope he is there to catch me.

"Damn..." He breaks the kiss and nuzzles my neck.

"What?" I close my eyes, enjoying his touch.

"You." He looks at me, his eyes showing me I'm not alone with all these feelings.

"What about me?" I smile.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you? How crazy I am about you? I tried so hard not to fall for you... but deep down I knew I couldn't fight it."

"Lucas, I-" He touches his lips to mine, interrupting me.

"You don't need to say anything. Not right now." He caresses my cheek, his lips so close to mine I can't help but lean into another kiss that he, too soon, breaks.

"I just want you to know that I was terrified, and I had never seen myself as a weak man. Even when I lost the woman I thought I'd be spending the rest of my life with... My focus was my son, so I knew I'd be strong for him. But seeing you on that hospital bed... I hate how weak I felt, how helpless. I promised myself I would never allow myself to feel that broke again... But then.."

"I'm so sorry for everything you and Nate had to go through." I use both hands to touch his face, his neck, then his hair, hoping I soothe him in a way.

"Seeing you that day... I was terrified to lose you, to lose the second chance I was given." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before focusing on me again. "I can't help but feel guil-"

"You're not-"

"I know how you feel about it..." He kisses my nose. "I just want you to know that I'm working on all that. I want you to know that I'm here... and that I'm sorry. Really sorry."

"You're really going to make me cry if you don't stop talking and start kissing me right now." I give him a small smile.

How did my life change so fast? How did I go from a broken heart to wanting a future with this guy?