Sure would. Since prospecting, LJ had met plenty of guys who’d served hard time. Changed a man no matter their age, but to go from child to an adult in prison fucked men up more than most things.
“Anyway,” she went on. “He turned his life around. Got a degree in psychology and works mostly but not exclusively with prisoners. I have a feeling you’d like him. My brother, Daniel, still keeps in touch with him pretty often, so I can get his number for you.”
The thought of baring his soul to another stranger had LJ’s gut rolling and his mind shooting up road blocks. He’d tried that route, sorta, and here he was after having practically killed his woman.
“LJ…” Holly’s voice softened. “I know we have a lot of factors working against us. It’s made us have to fight for each other when we should be in the easy blissful honeymoon phase. I’m not going to lie and tell you it won’t crush me if you want to walk away, but I will understand if having to fight for this thing is too much too early.”
She cupped his face between her palms. “But I like us, LJ, uphill battle and all. I need you to really hear me right now, okay?”
He nodded, captivated by the fierce expression on her face. “I’m listening, sugar.”
“I’m willing to fight with everything I have. For you. For us. And I’m willing to wait to spend another night in your arms until you feel safe and ready. For as long as it takes, I’m willing and happy to do it if it means we’re moving forward. It’s not a sacrifice or a compromise, so don’t use those as an argument.” She winked then grew serious again. “But I can’t fight alone. It just won’t work. We’ll end up resenting each other, and that would be so much worse than losing you now.” She stopped talking to wipe at a tear that escaped.
A second one followed. This time LJ smoothed it away with his thumb. He heard her loud and clear. She’d stick around. She’d wait for him to get his shit together. She thought he was worth it—they were worth it.
But that meant he had to get that shit together. Which meant facing his issues, finally confronting and coming to terms with the most painful event of his life. The incident that left him emotionally crippled.
“This guy, the therapist, think we could make it work with him being long distance?” LJ finally asked.
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head as more tears rolled down her cheeks. This time though, he had a feeling they were tears of relief. “I’m sure he’d be willing to talk through FaceTime. I know he’s done it before.”
After taking a breath, LJ jumped off a cliff he’d promised he’d never scale again. “All right. Get me his number.”
Before he had a chance to process what was happening, Holly threw her arms around him and knocked him back on the bed. “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear right before smothering him with kisses all over his face.
“Jesus, sugar,” he said as he stilled her movement with a grip on her hair. “I should be getting on my knees and thanking you. No one has ever cared as much as you. No one has ever wanted me like you do. There’s just no one like you. My sugar.”
Holly’s throat rose and fell with the force of her swallow as her eyes glistened again. Instead of allowing the tears to fall this time, she said, “If you’re gonna get on your knees, LJ, I can think of something better for you to do than thank me.”
Quick as lightning, he flipped Holly to her back. “Don’t need to be on my knees for that, baby.” He kissed his way down her gorgeous body and straight to her sex, pressing her thighs wide as he went.
Surprisingly, he felt light deep inside. Not the dread he’d expected when he agreed to see a therapist. All owed to Holly. The amazing woman healed his soul one day at a time.
He circled her clit with his tongue, fucking loving the familiar prick of her nails on his scalp.
The least he could do for his woman in return was make her come until she passed out.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
THE WEEKS OF working at the diner passed in the blink of an eye. By now, her face had healed, allowing her to feel confident in public once again. Holly adored every second spent behind that counter, from the constant stream of customers to the lively and enthusiastic staff, to the success of her menu. Even the two crotchety old regulars who sat at the counter spreading town gossip and bitching about anything and every aspect of their lives made her laugh on the regular. Both in their late seventies, the pair had been friends since grade school, and had been eating at the diner at least three days a week since Toni’s parents opened the place over thirty years ago. Holly arrived and left work with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face each shift.