She opened her mouth and he held up a hand.
“No, I think we can do without your input.”
She frowned at him unhappily.
“Yes, I know you’re not happy with me but the truth is I’m not that happy with you right now either.” There was a snap to his voice that had her taking in a sharp breath.
He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Jesus, will you stop looking at me like that.” He let out a low bark of laughter. “I have subs fall over themselves to get my attention. They wouldn’t hesitate to let me know what they needed and yet you won’t even come to me when you’re bleeding and close to passing out. You’ve got a way of hammering at a man’s ego, pet.”
Oh, shit. She’d hurt him? Insulted him? She didn’t mean to do that. In fact, that was the last thing she wanted to do after all he’d done for her. Without thinking, she slid off the sofa and onto her knees between his open legs. His eyes widened then he reached for her.
“Aspen.”
He
r name sounded foreign coming from his lips. She’d grown used to his nicknames and her real name made her flinch for some reason.
“Joel, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” It seemed preposterous to think that she could hurt him. That she’d have that power. “I just . . .”
“You just what?”
“Didn’t want to be a problem. You’re busy and it was just a cut. I thought I could take care of it myself.”
He stood then reached for her, lifting her to her feet. He sat on the sofa, settling her onto his lap. She held herself stiffly, not used to being held like that.
Saxon didn’t say anything. He just ran his hand up and down her back. Soft, slow movements that gradually had her relaxing. She yawned. The numbing injection the doctor had given her were really good. She didn’t feel any pain yet. She relaxed into his hold bit by bit, resting her head against his chest.
“That’s better. I’m guessing you haven’t been held like this much.”
She snorted softly. “You’d guess right. Oh, sorry, yes.”
His chest moved as he laughed quietly. “You really aren’t very obedient, sprite.”
She stiffened. “Sorry.”
“Now, don’t go getting all stiff again. Lie against me and just relax for a moment. So much goes on up here,” he tapped her head, “that you don’t really give yourself a chance to just be, do you?”
“Hasn’t been much of an opportunity in my life to relax.”
“We’re going to change that.”
They were? That sounded nice. Impossible but nice. How many times over these last few weeks had she wished she could just hop onto one of those sun loungers by his pool and have an hour or so to just lie there? She couldn’t ever recall having time to just laze around and do nothing. Maybe when she was younger, but definitely not since she’d had the boys.
“I should get back to Jamie and Caleb.”
“Sh. They’re fine. Do you think I’d allow them to be anything but?”
So arrogant. “You can’t control the whole world.”
“Not the whole world. Just my little corner of it.”
She opened her eyes then leaned away to look up at him. “You have some big control issues going on there.”
He pressed her head back to where it had been. “That makes two of us.” He reached over and grabbed the forgotten pillow, laying it on her lap and placing her hand on it.
“Tell me if I get too heavy,” she said sleepily. Damned if she didn’t love being cradled in his arms. Here it felt like nothing could get to her. Like she was safe.
He kissed the top of her head. “In no way could you ever be too heavy. You still need several good meals. Are you eating enough?”