15. Micah

CHAPTER 15

Micah

" G o fish." I grin at Cassie as she huffs.

"You're cheating."

"Am not," I growl at her as she picks up another card.

"Are too. Mommy hates cheaters."

Well, isn't that an interesting way to put it. I wonder what kind of cheaters Heidi hates. Because I can certainly picture that asshole, Josh, cheating on her.

Dick!

"Nine."

"Nope," I grin at her and she sighs picking up another card and then slamming it down.

"I'm done. You are so cheating." She's fucking adorable. I can picture this little girl calling me Daddy and making my life hell when she starts dating.

My fists clench. That's not happening any time soon.

"What are you doing here?" A raspy voice makes my whole body jerk.

"Heidi?"

"Mommy!" Cassie leaps down and runs to her Mom's side, throwing herself on her.

Heidi winces. "Hey, baby. How are you?" She looks her over like she's expecting her to be hurt.

"I'm good. Micah got me out the window."

Her pretty eyes shoot to mine. "He did, did he? I wish I could have seen that."

"Hey Cassie, Colt is in the hall. Can you go ask him if he can get you a pop?"

Heidi glares at me. But she doesn't say a thing.

Cassie screams in excitement and races out of the room.

I settle beside Heidi on the bed. My hand reaches out, tingling as I run my fingers down her cheek. "How's your head, baby?"

She huffs. "Not as bad as your hand is going to be if you don't remove it."

"Dammit, Heidi!" I drop my hand, glaring at her. "I can't believe you're still gonna be stubborn about this. I don't want to play this game anymore. I love you. I love Cassie. I want to make a family with you. For fuck's sake, I almost lost ten years of my life when you passed out on me!"

Her mouth firms and she twists her fingers in the thin blanket. "You think that now."

"I'm not changing my mind. I love you. I will always love you. You're the woman for me. You will always be the woman for me. We deserve to be happy. Cassie deserves to be happy."

"Cassie's happy with me."

"She is." I nod my head. "But I want to take care of you both. Hell, I need to take care of you. Do you know how crazy I went when I found out that asshole was in there with you? I almost lost it."

Her eyes lift and she eyes me warily.

"But I got Cassie out and let Colt take care of you. I knew he would. I trust him and he trusted me to get to Cassie. I wish you trusted me half as much as he does."

Her eyes lift and tears drop down her cheeks. She's still pale and the huge bandage on the side of her head makes me want to hunt that fucker down again and take at least one shot at him.

"I-I don't know if I can be with another man. I want to. But I just…"

I lean over and touch her cheek lightly, turning her lips to mine and gently caressing her mouth as her breath puffs out across my lips. "I can wait. I'd wait forever for you. I just want you to give me a shot. Just don't completely close me out."

Her eyes close and then she opens them. I could drown in all that blue and die a happy man being this close to her, this close to heaven.

"Can we…date for awhile?"

My breath hitches even as a huge smile breaks over my face. I couldn't hold it in if I tried. "Hell yeah. I'll give you as much time as you need, sweetheart. Just so you know that you're mine and I'm yours. Forever."

I lean my head on hers and sigh, holding her close. It's going to be a long time before I get over the fear that hit me when I saw her fall to the ground, her blue eyes rolling to the back of her head. I kiss her forehead and groan.

"Fuck do I love you."

And she doesn't pull away. She sighs and snuggles into my chest and that's all I need for now.

I've got forever within my grasp with the woman of my dreams and if she needs time, she'll get it. She'll always get everything she needs from me.

Because she's mine and I'm hers and nobody will ever take her away from me.

Heidi Crane is gonna be Heidi Reese as soon as it's possible and then I'm gonna knock her up and give Cassie a little brother or sister as fast as I can.

And tie this gorgeous woman to me for the rest of our lives.