This is Love by (Checkmate Duet 2)

I watch as her throat moves, her tongue running along her lips as she wets them. She blinks and looks back up at me; her eyes are glassy.

“I don’t want you to be those guys in my romance novels,” she states. “They’re usually flawless with perfect abs and hair and they always say the right things, and they’re always hung even when they’re soft…”

I put a hand up, making her stop so I can make sure I’m hearing her correctly. “Wait a minute…”

She ignores me and continues. “I don’t want perfect, Travis. I don’t expect a relationship where everything is always smooth and happy. I want us to continue challenging one another, testing the limits, and growing as one. I’d get bored being with a perfect guy. I’d feel inadequate, and I’d rather have an imperfect relationship than a perfect one.”

Her words are music to my ears. My heart beats harder in my chest. “So, are you saying you’re all in?” I ask, desperate to hear her say the words.

She sucks in her lips and nods. “Yes. I am.”

Her eyes are glassing over again. I press my thumb over her cheek, catching a tear that drops down. “I hope those are tears of happiness,” I smirk, cupping her face.

“Tears of regret,” she spits out.

“Dammit, Viola,” I hiss, trying to hold in annoyed laughter. “Are you always going to be this difficult to seduce?”

“You have a lot to learn, King.” She winks.

“Trust me. I know, princess.” I bring our mouths together and push her lips apart with my tongue. “Just know that if I weren’t on bed rest, I’d have both your legs above your head right now.”

“Clearly it was your charm that won me over.”

“I thought it was my ability to make you count to ten with your head buried in the pillow?”

She playfully slaps my arm and scowls. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I’d just agreed to be with a horny fifteen-year-old boy.”

“Twenty-four-year-old man,” I clarify with a shrug. “Not much has really changed.”

She laughs and before I can stop her, she leans in, brings both hands around my neck and pulls me in for a deep, greedy-as-fuck kiss. She has my body all kinds of fired up. My ribs may be broken, but my cock sure isn’t.

“Goddammit, Viola,” I growl, needing her to stop. I press my forehead against hers, our pants mixing in the air as we try to catch our breaths. “I think I need to go take that shower now.” A fucking cold one.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Well, it was suggested I either sit in the shower or have someone nearby to help in case I slip or get drowsy from the meds and since we don’t exactly have a shower chair, you’ll have to be my on-duty nurse.”

“Should I put the uniform on for you and everything? Give you the full nurse experience?” The corner of her lips tilts up.

I smile. I fucking love her smart mouth.

VIOLA

Following Travis to the bathroom, I’m already drooling at the thought of seeing him naked again. I stare at him, admiring the way his jeans hug his ass. He glances over his shoulder and catches me.

“Eyes up here, nurse.”

I blink my eyes back up to his and blush as if I’d been caught getting into trouble. A cocky grin forms over his face, and I know he’s enjoying every second of my ogling.

Once inside the bathroom, I reach into the shower and turn on the water. Travis watches me as he begins unbuttoning his jeans. I watch as he pushes them down, but they get stuck at his knees. I step in and pull them down the rest of the way so he can kick them off. I slide my hand over his waist and grip the end of his shirt. I know he’s in more pain than he’s letting on, so I slowly lift his shirt so he can pull his arms out one by one. He winces slightly and I cringe at the way raising his arms over his head causes pain.

“Are you okay?” I ask, fearing that he’s not going to be able to shower alone.

“A hot nurse undressing me? I’m more than fine.” He grins, and I roll my eyes at his inability to answer a serious question.

“Don’t get any ideas,” I scold. “This is strictly for medical purposes only.”

“We’ll see about that.” He nods his head down to his boxers, which is the only clothing left on him.

I nod, knowing damn well he can take his boxer shorts off. But if that’s how he wants to play it, I’m all in.

Looping my fingers underneath the waistband, I slowly pull them down his body. I kneel, but I keep my eyes locked on his. As soon as I have them down far enough, his cock frees and is saluting to the ceiling. I swallow, fighting the urge to taste him, but I know I can’t start anything right now—as much as I desperately want to.