Free Bittersweet Catastrophe (Second Chances #2.5) by Maureen Mayer Page A

my lap. She placed a hand on either side of my face and swept her thumbs across my cheeks. The look in her eyes was one full of sorrow and understanding, but it didn’t make sense for her to feel empathetic toward me when she was the one whose health was currently in limbo.
    “It’s okay, baby. It doesn’t hurt that bad. Really. They numbed it for the procedure and gave me some Tylenol before I left. I have more if it gets worse later.”
    She remained in my lap and gingerly weaved her fingers through my hair, comforting me in such a soothing, loving way, but really it should have been the other way around. I had to rectify that right now. I carefully stood, still holding her in my arms, and carried her out of the kitchen, making sure to avoid the broken pieces scattered around us.
    “What are you doing?” she whispered, burying her face in the crook of my neck.
    I continued down the hall to our bedroom and gently placed her in the center of the bed. My gaze lowered to the strap still hanging at the side of her arm before coming back up to meet the questioning look in her eyes.
    “Wait here.” I started off toward the door and heard her shuffling around in the blankets. “Liberty. Stay. Please .” I pleaded, watching her eyebrows draw together, but she nodded reluctantly and leaned back into the pillows.
    I headed back into the kitchen and filled a Ziploc bag with ice before returning to her. She was waiting patiently with her hands clasped over her stomach and studying my every move. When I placed the bag of ice on the nightstand beside her and reached for the hem of her shirt, she grabbed my wrist and shook her head.
    “Trust me.” The mattress dipped as I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward to press my forehead to hers. Our lips parted and her sweet breath mingled with mine, a taste I’d never forget and hoped I’d never have to go a day without. “I promised you once that I would never hurt you, and I meant every word. Just…please. Trust me . Let me help ease your pain.”
    Her eyes fluttered closed, and after a few seconds, she released my arm. I warily peeled the shirt up along her torso, and she sat up for me to lift it over her head. Underneath, she was wearing a thin sports bra that shielded most of the tape covering her incision, but it was still enough to see that there was already some bruising. I traced over the bottom of her bra, brushing against the underside of her breasts, and slipped my fingers beneath the stretchy fabric. Liberty’s eyes shot open, and she quickly sat up before I could go any further.
    “No! I…I can’t take it off yet.” She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously. “The doctor said I should sleep with it on. At least for tonight.”
    I nodded and softly kissed her lips. “All right, baby. No worries. Now lie back for me and close your eyes.”
    She resumed her position, her eyes falling shut shortly after, and I picked out a cube of ice from the bag that was just beginning to melt. Placing it between my lips, I languidly dragged it along her exposed skin and felt her shudder beneath me. I took my time and let her body acclimate to the contrast of the cold against her warm skin, starting at her ankles and working my way up to her neck. She seemed to enjoy my playful way of handling a not so pleasant situation, and even as goose bumps continued to spread along her gorgeous body, she kept a smile on her face through it all.
    I slowly trailed it back down her neck, along her collarbone, and over the swell of her breast. By then, the ice cube had melted, and it was only my lips caressing her skin. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling on it timidly as her brows drew together. She knew where I was going with this, and whether she’d like to admit it or not, she was in a lot more pain than she was letting on. I just wanted to ease some of her pain in the only way I knew how.
    I took the bag of ice in my hand, carefully brought it next to her