“Just my hubs, Blue, it’s okay.” Joe pats the top of my thigh reassuringly.
Ruger takes off to the black truck, allowing Tuck to walk up the stairs to me. I stand to meet him and feel shocked when no pain hits me. He cocks an eyebrow in my direction and I smile back at him.
“Easy, tiger.” Tuck pulls me in on my left side. It’s as if he has memorized every one of my injuries and avoids them at all cost.
“Whatever you gave me, Joe, has really helped my side.” I turn back to see her smiling face.
Tuck’s palm covers my good cheek and forces me to look back at him, and before I realize what’s happening, his tongue is down my throat. And like a love struck fool, I let him. With each swipe of it I feel memories of the attack dissolve a bit.
Chapter 20
Well, I sure know where the cussing comes from in this family. All of them. They talk like sailors and wrestle like barbarians. Joe’s even been flipped on her back a time or two by Tuck and had to scream uncle to escape, but the feisty little shit brought it on herself.
Joe’s husband, Austin, barbecued dinner for us. And of course the nurse in Joe wouldn’t let me help set the table or anything. I’ve just sat back and watched the family dynamics play out in front of me.
Joe helped me shower, and it made me feel like a new person. As I dry off, I examine my wounds and realize the pain on the inside is far worse than any one of them on the outside. The long patch of road rash on my jawline will heal quickly with a cream my dad gave me. It’s a magic healer, and I guess it helps that my dad is a plastic surgeon. Everything else can be covered up with clothing.
“Blue,” Tuck says from the other side of the door, followed by some light knocking.
I unclick the lock and crack the door a bit. Tuck pushes his way into the room and I cover up my bare boobies and thank god I had just slid on my panties.
“What are you doing?” I hiss.
“Coming to help.” I don’t miss his devilishly sly grin.
His lips attack the side of my neck, and I enjoy him nibbling on my flesh way too much.
“How are you feeling?” he mumbles on my skin.
“Not as sore. Look like hell, though.”
He lifts his head, cupping one side of my face. “You look like my gorgeous Blue to me.”
Something in the air kills the mood and Tuck goes to his serious dark place.
“Don’t,” I plead.
“Don’t what?” he asks.
“Don’t turn yourself off.”
“I’m not, Blue.” He leans back on the wall opposite from me, crossing his legs at the ankle. “I do need to apologize to you. I was a dick and handled everything wrong. I know Noah told you about the trouble I got into, but there’s more. I never should’ve gone after you. I knew it was all or nothing, but I couldn’t resist you. My coaches all told me to stay away and focus.”
His words hit me hard as I realize he’s about to open up to me for the first time. I remain frozen like a statue, still covering my breasts.
“Your texts were the only thing that helped soothe the pain I caused. And when your number called me that night and I heard you screaming and struggling, I died, Blue.”
“I called you?” I whisper.
“Somehow your phone rang mine, and I kept screaming for you, but I just heard rustling. Sophie used some damn app to find your location.” Tuck drops his head, rubbing his hands over his ball cap. “When I found you, you thought I was him. You were scared and refused to go to the hospital.”
“Stop. Please stop.”
All the blood rushes from my face and my head goes dizzy as the awful thoughts from that night begin to invade my mind.
“You remember it, don’t you?”
“Tuck.” I look up into his eyes with tears streaming down my face. “I do remember it, but do you want to know how I came to in time to get my pepper spray?”
He doesn’t respond, but only steps forward.
“I heard your voice.”
Tuck drops his head onto my shoulder and lets out a pent-up breath. “Blue, I’m fucking scared that after you see the real me, you’ll run.”
“Show me.”
“When I was—”
“Hello.” There’s a loud banging on the door. “I need to pee, and Dad said you guys were probably making babies in there.”
I grab the sides of Tuck’s face, horrified.
“Are you almost done?” Ruger calls out.
I panic and send a punch into Tuck’s rock hard abs.
“Get out,” I hiss between my teeth.
“You afraid of a little seven year old?”
“Now. Go entertain him.” I point to the door.
“Just one more kiss.”
His lips are on mine before I can refuse, and god dammit, I melt into him. I wrap my arms around his neck as he cradles my injured side to his body acting as a brace. He lifts me to the counter, setting me down, while still kissing my lips. His hands leave my skin and I can hear him fumbling around on the counter for something. Within moments, he’s clasping my bra on me, only pulling back when necessary to snap it, and then sealing himself to me again.
I giggle into his mouth when he pulls a jersey of his over my head, which drowns me.
“Really?” I mumble into his lips.
“Noah packed for you, and I think the clothes are too skimpy. I think he got into your costume drawer.”
I laugh, then wince, pulling back and holding my side. “I don’t have a costume drawer.”
“Well, this looks damn hot on you.”
His lips go back to work on mine as his fingers run up and down the front of my belly, and goose bumps form behind his touch. His fingers dip below my panties, and I pull back from his mesmerizing kiss.
“Um, no. I get all of you before you get that again.” I push back on his chest.
I don’t miss his loud and very deep grumble as he tries for it a second time.
“I’m serious, Tuck.” I tap my finger on his chest with each word I speak.
“Okay, I might pee my pants out here. Are you done making babies?”
“Holy shit,” I mouth to Tuck. “Does he really know what making babies is?”
Tuck only laughs as I try to put on my shorts with no luck, and his hands glide up my legs to tug them on. Before his delicious fingers have a chance to play with anything down there in that department, I bolt for the door.
“All done.”
Ruger grins toothlessly at me as he does the potty dance.
I step out into the hall and hold the door open for him.
“Where’s the baby you made?” he asks.
“Um, ask your Uncle Tuck.”
I don’t even feel bad when I head for the guest bedroom, giggling the whole way. When I enter, I notice the stack of pills on the nightstand and know it was Joe. I grab the bottle of water by them and chug the whole pile in one swallow and hope we eat soon, so I have a fighting chance of not passing out.
I don’t wait for Tuck before I head outside, following the aroma of the barbecued ribs. The whole family is seated around the picnic table chatting away, and it warms my heart to see Tuck so relaxed. I hear Joe’s husband give me hell about the number I’m wearing, and I just fire back with a smartass comment.
“It was on clearance at the bookstore. Some overrated player.” I shrug and take the seat next to Tuck.
“Eat.” Joe shoves a plate my way filled with a gorgeous green salad and a steaming pile of sweet beans.
“Thank you.”
Tuck reaches over to snag a crouton off of my plate, but Joe slaps him hard before he has the chance to get it.
“She needs to eat with all the medicine she’s on.”
The scent of the food sends my senses into overdrive, and suddenly I’m scarfing down the meal like it’s my last one. Tuck laughs at me as I shovel it in my mouth at a steady pace. It’s not long before his sister provides him with his own piping plate of food, but his has ribs stacked on it. I pluck one off of his plate and cringe mid-movement, wondering if I’ll get the same hand smack, but the burning slap never comes.