Sex Retreat(86)
Chapter Forty-Two
The next day, Rory and Brock drove out to Cow Camp to gather their belongings. Trixie had spent the morning listening to her sisters as they’d rambled about their love lives. By the time Mitch arrived at the hospital, she was prepared to say good-bye even though she didn’t like the idea of leaving without him.
Mitch dragged a chair with him as he approached the bed. “I feel like I ran your sisters out of here.”
“They were ready to get back home.”
“I can’t believe how grown up they are,” Mitch said.
“Yeah,” Trixie said, sensing the angst in the air and refusing to broach the subject apparently hanging high in the balance. “Ansley is still hung up on new love and all she talks about is her honeymoon stage of romance.”
“Do you like her fellas?” Mitch asked.
“Oh sure,” she replied. “Tristan and Bailey are brothers. Did you know that?”
“I haven’t met Bailey,” Mitch said, a distant look in his eyes. “I vaguely remember Elliott and Graham.”
Trixie brushed her fingertips across the back of his hand. “Mitch, Bailey is a good guy. He only killed Jordie Anne in self-defense and to protect his brother and Ansley.”
“I’ve read all the reports.”
“Do you ever miss her?” Trixie asked.
Mitch narrowed his gaze. “I miss who she used to be before she went crazy, Trixie, but even if I miss the lost girl, a person I viewed as a friend, I still want you. You were always the one for me.”
“But you don’t want to go home with us. I don’t understand. You’ve been away from us for so long, Mitch. Come home with us. Let me love you.”
Mitch moistened his lips. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll let you love me all right, sub.”
A double dose of arousal slipped over her pussy lips after she caught that guttural edge in his voice.
“I’m warning you, baby,” Mitch said. “Keep looking at me like you want me and I’ll give you exactly what you need—hospital bed or no hospital bed.”
Trixie laughed. “Well, the doctor is on his way up so we’d better behave for now.”
Mitch grunted and backed away from the bed. He settled in his chair, thrusting his legs forward and crossing his ankles. Clasping his hands in his lap, he stared at the ceiling.
“The furniture around here isn’t much on comfort.”
“I’m fine,” Mitch assured her.
“I’m not,” she said, sitting up in bed.
Jolting to attention, he came forward all at once. “Are you hurting somewhere?”
“No,” she replied. “Unless you count my heart.”
“Oh, baby,” Mitch said. “I don’t want to cause you pain.”
“Why won’t you go home with us?”
“I can’t, Trixie. I belong at Cow Camp. I have goals and dreams for the place.” A beat later, he said, “Trixie, I need you to know something.”
“Yes?” she asked, all at once hopeful. Would he profess his love now that they were alone? Would he assure her of his undying devotion and commitment to her?
“I’m in love with you. I would like to have an everlasting relationship with you—yes, for the rest of my life—but I’ve always been a man who needs his space.” He took her hand in his. “Can you try to relate to what I’m saying here?”
“I…I guess.”
“What I’m trying to say is—if you’ll have me—if you’ll consider me a part of your family and your lover, I promise you I’ll never hold another woman in my arms. I’ll never take another woman to my bed.”
“How can you be so sure, Mitch?” she asked, cursing her insecurities and realizing at the same time that these insecurities began about three months ago.
Pregnancy played hell on her emotions.
“I love you,” he said. “I may love differently than Brock and Rory, but I love you as much as a man can love a woman. I couldn’t take another woman to bed if she threw herself on me. I just have no desire except one—you.”
“I’m jealous,” she admitted. “It drives me crazy to think about you owning and operating a BDSM lifestyle retreat.”
“You have nothing to worry about. Besides, you’ll come to visit often. We’ll see one another whenever we can, maybe several times a month.”
“But you don’t want to live with me?”
“Right now, I need to put my life back together again. I want to start the business and see where all of that takes me but I’m committed to you, Trixie. And I’ll be in your life.”