“Blakely, look at me, darlin’.” Knox is behind me, hands on my hips, turning me around. I can’t help but love every piece of him. Even when he makes me want to pull my hair out and beat on his chest. My eyes meet his. Tears are swimming in my eyes, making him a blurry object.
“I hate seeing you in pain and struggling.” I faceplant into his chest, not wanting to break down on him even more. He has enough to deal with besides me being a blubbering mess.
“Fuck, let me have today to think about the pros and the cons. I know it’s a lot to deal with either way, more months of therapy or the weeks after the surgery. But you know we’ll have more people in and out of our house. I’ll need help, and I know you can do a lot, but helping me off the toilet, getting into the shower, you’ll have to do everything, and that’s too much. We’ll need help, and it’s going to require time on everyone’s hands.” He cups my cheeks. I understand what he’s saying, and I also know we have an army that would be willing to help.
“Think on it, but you know what the best plan is.” I kiss the underside of his jaw and skirt around him before he tries to take me on the kitchen counter. I swear in the past month, we have christened every square inch of his house, and I’m not complaining.
“I hear you, woman,” he grumbles. I watch as he takes his plate, trying to figure out how he’s going to carry his drink too. If there’s one thing about Knox, it’s that he’s a creature of comfort and enjoys being outside as much as he can.
“I’ll help you get your food out there.” I roll my eyes but grab his plate and drink. I’m not going to sit out there with him. Right now, he needs time alone, and I’ve got a few things to do inside of the house before I make my way to the stable to check in on Trigger and Black Betty. Sometimes, Knox will come down, other times, he’ll have his brother pick him up on the side-by-side, and they’ll check the fence line, trying to do his best by pulling his weight even though no one expects him to be at one hundred percent.
“Thanks, darlin’.” I open the door, set his food on the side table, and walk back into the house. Knox didn’t follow me out, leaving me to think he’s deep in thought.
“I love you, Knox.” My fingertips graze his lower abdomen. I feel the ripple of tightness. His hand holds mine there, and when he says, “You’re my heart, Blakely,” simple words, but they pack a powerful punch, I wrap my arm around his waist, resting my head on his chest, needing to feel his warmth and scent surround me, and just like I’m there for Knox, he’s here for me too.
Nineteen
Knox
It didn’t take me long to realize that I wasn’t only putting myself through hell for no reason but also the people around me. Once I pulled my head out of my ass, Blake’s words sunk in, because no man in his right mind would ever admit that out loud, and definitely not to their woman. That’s why I called my doctor the next day and got the ball rolling for my surgery. I think I shocked not only the doctor but the physical therapist as well. Both of them knew my stand on surgery and how reluctant I was about it at the beginning. Blakely gave me my time, not pushing and not talking about it while I went outside that afternoon we had our first big blow-up. It wasn’t intense, and our argument and lack of talking didn’t last but an hour after I ate. When I went back inside, it seemed she left to go down to the stables. I hobbled my ass to Trace’s, stole his side-by-side, and got my ass down there. The make-up sex was entirely worth it even if it was messy and fast.
“Are you okay with your decision?” Blake asks me. It’s late at night. I go under the knife tomorrow morning.
“The only thing I know for certain is I’m right where I should have been all along.” We’re both naked under the sheets, her breast pressed against my chest, our legs entwined, and I bet if I lifted her leg, opening up her cunt, she’d be full of my cum. It’s not the first time I’m loathing that she’s on birth control even though I know right now isn’t the time for her to be pregnant, especially not when I haven’t gotten my ring on her finger.
“I’ll always be here for you, no matter what, even if that means helping you in the bathroom.” Blake lifts her head, giggling because we both know she’d help me if I allowed it, but that won’t be happening.