Jerica smiled. “Who knew you were so wise?”

  Ann laughed, her voice reverberating around the room. “I am not wise, but thank you for the compliment. I’m just well-lived, and I have a partner who has a host of trauma, most of it deep and severe trauma. It’s taken us years to even begin to untangle it. Likewise—” Ann leaned in closer, dropping her voice “—I also have trauma when it comes to relationships, and it’s not as obvious as Heidi’s. It’s taken years to recognize that’s what it is, but once we started talking about it, all bets have been off.”

  “That’s good to know.” Jerica looked at the coffeepot, glad to see it was done. She made herself a cup and settled back at the table. “So you think I should ease up?”

  “I think you need to directly ask her what she wants from you, and then I think you need to be very patient as she tries to work that out. The answer might change. Let it, let her guide the conversation and relationship at the beginning. See if that changes anything.”

  “Okay. I can try that.”

  “Good. Now, I’ve got patients I need to check in on.”

  Jerica gave a half smile as Ann stepped out of the room. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, staring at the last text messages they had sent. She wasn’t quite sure how to word it all, but she did need to get it out there. It had been weighing on her mind for the last few days so much that she found herself distracted.

  Hey, I’d love to see you again, but I know the timing might be off. Let me know what you want, so I at least know where we stand.

  She hit the send button, pocketed her phone, and grabbed her coffee. She wasn’t going to worry about it until she had time, until she was off work and could really sit down and think about Bridget and maybe call her. Perhaps it wasn’t even a conversation they could have over the phone and she’d have to go up to Indigo again. It would be a drive, but Jerica was pretty sure it would be well worth it. Checking on her patients, Jerica went back to work to finish out her shift.

  Jerica hadn’t been able to get Bridget off her mind. They’d texted on and off for an hour after her shift and through the next few days she’d been at work, but as soon as her next day off hit, Jerica could not stop thinking about her. She’d sent a text an hour earlier and gotten no reply.

  During the course of their conversations, Bridget had said she’d be happy to see Jerica again but had refused to set up a specific time. She was still just as lost as she was before. She had no more answers to the questions she was asking. She’d met Bridget nearly a month ago by that point, her broken body wheeled in on gurney, but she was a whole person now. Well, as whole as Bridget would allow herself to be.

  Taking a chance, Jerica touched up her makeup and grabbed her keys and her purse and got into her car. Pretty soon she would have the road to Indigo memorized. But she was coming to love it up there. It was absolutely beautiful to be so close to nature.

  When she got to Indigo, people mingled on the deck who waved at her. She smiled at them before letting herself into the house. Her stomach was full of nerves and excitement. She’d surprised Bridget before and it had gone over well enough. She wanted to do it again and see if this time would get her the same result.

  Searching around, Jerica looked for Bridget or Eli in the den, then the kitchen. She found Eli, who told her Bridget was downstairs and in a sour mood. Bolstering herself, Jerica headed into the basement with one goal on her mind. Make Bridget smile. It wasn’t going to be an easy feat.

  As she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she found Bridget on the couch with food and phone and drinks surrounding her, as if she’d made her own little moat of the essentials. Jerica had seen that kind of thing before. In fact, she’d done it herself before.

  “Knock, knock,” she said, hoping to catch Bridget’s attention and surprise easily enough.

  Bridget jerked with a start. “Hi. I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “I know. I hope you don’t mind. I had a feeling it would be better if I just showed up.”

  “Did you?” Bridget cleared away much of the food and drink so Jerica could have seat next to her. Jerica took that as good sign.

  Sitting down, she made sure she was decently close, enough that Bridget couldn’t avoid her if she wanted to. “I did. I wanted to see you, too.”

  Bridget’s look was hard to read, but it seemed to be somewhere in between a pained expression and delight. An odd mix, but Jerica was determined to figure out why and what it was for.

  “I’m sorry if any of my texts came off as pushy. I think it’s really a conversation we may need to have in person.”

  “Maybe,” Bridget mumbled. “I didn’t think you were pushy. I wasn’t exactly answering you.”

  Jerica pressed her lips together. At least Bridget was being open and honest about that. It would mean less work for her to do in the long run. “True, and I would like an answer, you know.”

  “About dating?”

  “Yeah.” Jerica gently put a hand on Bridget’s knee, wanting her to know that she was there if Bridget wanted her to be, but not too forthright that Bridget felt as though Jerica was forcing a decision on her one way or the other. “I think you know my position on it.”

  “I do.” Bridget clenched her jaw hard, the line of muscle along her cheek tightening as it ran down her neck.

  Jerica hated to see how much stress and tension this was causing her. It almost would have been better had she left it alone and decided to let Bridget lead the conversation from a distance, even if they never got to some kind of resolution. But Jerica nixed that idea. She wanted resolution, she wanted an answer, one way or another. She did not like living with uncertainty.

  “I would like to know yours,” Jerica started. “But if you don’t know it, that’s fine too. We can take this as slow or as fast as you’re willing and wanting to.”

  Bridget remained quiet, and Jerica’s stomach twisted into even more knots. She liked Bridget, a whole lot. She couldn’t even put her finger on why, or what was pushing her to be this patient and insistent, but she wanted to get to know this woman more, the woman who calmed when she was around, the woman she had to spend the night near just to keep her heart rate steady.

  “I think I should tell you something, but I’m not sure how weird it’s going to sound,” Jerica’s voice lowered, and she struggled to look Bridget in the eye.

  “What?” Bridget’s brow furrowed, her thick eyebrows drawing together, her pale blue eyes such a contrast to her jet-black hair.

  “Please don’t take this as odd.”

  “I can’t promise anything.”

  Jerica paused, not quite sure how to take that, but again, at least Bridget was being honest. “When you came in that night, when you were so out of it, and after surgery, they were struggling to keep your heart rate steady. Every time people would leave you alone for long, your heart rate would drop, your blood pressure would drop, and we’d all be rushed back in to try and deal with it.”

  “I didn’t realize that.”

  “You were pretty close to death, Bridget.” Jerica squeezed her knee and shifted so she leaned in closer. “But more than that, and this is the weird part and I apologize in advance, it wasn’t really people who kept your heart rate steady. It was—”

  “You,” Bridget interrupted and finished for her.

  Jerica nodded, her eyes wide with surprise. “Yeah, it was me. I had to keep my hand on your heart, otherwise…” She trailed off. “So I stayed after my shift and stayed with you in the ICU for the first night until right around the time you woke up. Then I left to go home and sleep.”

  Her cheeks heated with the confession. It was strange but equally strange that she had such an intimate knowledge of what had happened when she was sure Bridget didn’t remember any of it.

  “You weren’t there when I woke up.”

  “I was the first time,” Jerica murmured. “You probably don’t remember it because you were still pretty out of it and went back to sleep, but as soon as you were awake, we knew you were out of the woods.”

  “We?”

  “I knew.” Jerica dropped her gaze down to her hand, where Bridget had covered it with hers. Bridget entwined their fingers together, keeping a tight grasp on Jerica.

  They sat in the silence, the tension from her confession running through her chest. She felt better having said it, but she still wasn’t sure it was the best time and place to have done it. Bridget was so fragile.

  “What I want to say is that I realize you’re going through a lot. Not just with the accident but clearly some stuff with your parents and with Eli, and I’m willing to take this as slow as you want to. You can set the pace. Is that okay?”

  Bridget didn’t answer. Instead she lifted her hand, grabbed hold of Jerica’s chin and pulled her in for a kiss. Their lips touched, and it wasn’t brief. Bridget held her there, her grip firm but gentle as she parted her lips and dashed her tongue across Jerica’s mouth. Humming in satisfaction, Jerica leaned in, pressing a hand against Bridget’s thigh as she moved even closer.

  It was a perfect moment. This was so much better than either time they had tried this before. She didn’t know if it was emotion that tethered them together or something else, but Jerica stayed as close to it as she could. Bridget took the kiss slowly. She tasted and tested, holding Jerica to her for a long time as their tongues swirled together, as their breathing joined and became labored.

  Jerica closed her eyes, feeling every sensation that rolled through her body. She didn’t expect this, and she certainly expected no more. Bridget was still injured. It wouldn’t be easy, but if she could, she would do whatever Bridget wanted or needed in that moment.

  Bridget pulled away, nipping at Jerica’s lower lip before she grinned, those light blue eyes locking on Jerica’s face. “Straddle me, will you?”

  “Sure.” Jerica moved, pressing one knee into the couch cushion on either side of Bridget’s hips. She sat back, her hands running up and down Bridget’s arms, finally getting a full view of her.

  “This is easier for now.”

  Smiling, Jerica nodded her understanding. The angle before couldn’t have been comfortable, and she wanted to make Bridget as comfortable as possible. She made sure the weight of her body wasn’t too much as she rested mostly on her knees, angling her body forward. Bridget reached up, her hand at the back of Jerica’s neck and dragged her down—this time for a brutally emotional and heated kiss.

  Jerica threaded her fingers into Bridget’s dark hair as their mouths melded together. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted to get lost in the sea of Bridget’s passion—a sea that she seemed to already be drowning in. Bridget slid her hand up Jerica’s back, under the fabric of her shirt so there was skin on skin. Jerica rocked her hips into Bridget, keeping the pace slow and purposeful.

  Bridget didn’t move to do anything else other than touch, feel, and slide her hand along the soft skin of Jerica’s back. Jerica stayed in that position, lips locked to Bridget’s, hands tangled in her hair as she moved in to direct the kiss, allowing Bridget to lose control in her. She was careful to mind Bridget’s sling with her broken arm, keep her as far away as possible while she got as close as possible.

  Eventually Bridget broke the kiss, gasping for air as her eyes widened, and she stared up at Jerica. “I do want this.”

  “Are you sure?” Jerica asked, realizing that it was already too late for that question. She was sitting in Bridget’s lap, they were making out, and she wanted nothing more than to get down on her knees and give Bridget a little bit of relief. She could take care of herself later if need be.

  “Yeah, I am. I know I haven’t been before now, but I am, really.”

  Jerica smiled brilliantly, moving in to peck Bridget’s lips. “I’m so glad.”

  Bridget gave her a genuine smile, and Jerica’s heart thumped wildly at accomplishing her one goal. “I’m not easy to be with, though. I have to warn you on that.”

  “I think I figured that out already.” Chuckling, Jerica ran a finger across Bridget’s lips. “But I’m betting you’re worth it.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “I think you are.” Bending down, Jerica kissed her lightly. “Just trust that I know and trust that you are.”

  Bridget sighed, but she didn’t reject the notion, which Jerica considered another win. She wanted to do so many things at once. She wanted to stay on top of Bridget, grind into her until she came, but she also wanted to get on her knees and pleasure Bridget. At the same time, she wanted to stay right where she was, kissing, but also talking and learning more about the wonderful woman she was with.

  Quirking her lips up, Jerica bent in and kissed Bridget again. She would never get enough of that. “Bridget?”

  “Hmm?” Bridget was distracted by scraping her nails lightly up and down Jerica’s back, to her ass, and down the back of her thigh.

  “Does this mean I can officially say you’re my girlfriend?”

  Chuckling lowly, Bridget stopped her roving hands. “I suppose it does.”

  “Does this also mean that you’ll answer all of my texts?” Jerica leaned in, pressing her lips to Bridget’s neck to get a sweet taste of her skin.

  “I promise you I will do that.”

  “Good.” Jerica bent down, pressing their lips together again. She wasn’t sure she was ever going to get over that.

  CHAPTER 11

  For days Bridget thought about Jerica, the way she had moved on top of her, comforted her but also pushed. It had felt natural in a way Bridget had never explored before. She wasn’t afraid of it, not like she had been with Eli. She wanted to be in the relationship—that had never been in any doubt of her mind. It was whether or not she wanted the world to know.

  But in those few days, Bridget had realized the relationship wasn’t the issue. It was her own biases. She wanted Jerica. She wanted to make love to her, fuck her, spend time with her, but more than that, she wanted to be able to tell people about her. That had been the one major mistake that she’d made with Eli, and Bridget didn’t want to make it again.

  That had for sure been part of her hesitation about entering into another long-term relationship, but something about Jerica’s patience and strength told her that this might be possible. That, and she hadn’t stopped smiling since Jerica left that night. Eli had commented on it several times, but nothing in depth. Nothing that would reveal too much.

  They had texted nearly nonstop, too. Every free moment Jerica had in between shifts, and even during some of them when she had a break, Bridget would get some sort of text, whether it was check-in or ideas for future dates or something random Jerica had seen that day. Bridget responded to each and every one of them—as promised.

  Eli stepped off the bottom stair, startling Bridget out of her thoughts. The look on Eli’s face was anything but happiness or ease.

  “What’s wrong?” Bridget asked.

  “Your parents are here.”

  Bridget sighed heavily. “Did they say why?”

  “I’m betting to check on you. It has been almost a month since they did that last.”

  Pressing her lips tightly together, Bridget looked up at Eli. “I don’t want them down here.”

  “Me either. Are you sure you want to talk to them in the public area of the den, though? The guests—”

  “I’ll restrain myself.”

  “I believe that.” Eli stayed still, as if she wanted to say more. “But will they?”

  “No idea, especially with what I want to tell them.”

  “Oh?” Eli raised an eyebrow as Bridget shuffled around to stand, grabbing her knee scooter.

  “Yeah.” Gritting her teeth, Bridget moved toward the stairs. Eli stayed behind her as she hopped her way up each one until she got to the top. Eli set up the scooter in front of her, and Bridget moved herself through the kitchen to the living area and the den, taking the two steps like a pro this time.

  At least if she was going to fall in front of anyone it wouldn’t be them. Eli gave her a look, obviously wondering if Bridget wanted her to stay or not. Bridget shook her head at Eli and sat down in a chair, eyeing her parents down.

  “Hey,” she mumbled, trying not to lose her gumption.

  “Bridget,” Edward said.

  “How are you doing?” Sharon asked, looking Bridget over head to toe.

  Bridget had to remind herself, multiple times, that somewhere deep inside her mother’s frozen and dried up soul, she did care, at least about some things, even if it wasn’t Bridget as a whole. Rolling her shoulders, Bridget looked her mother in the eye. It was time she started taking her life back. “I’m good, thank you for asking.”

  Sharon seemed surprised by her tone, but she didn’t comment on it. She did, however, glance at Edward as if he was going to put a stop to Bridget’s attitude. That was always how it was. Sharon would get upset and tell Edward to take care of it, and he was the one who came down with the iron cane.

  “How are you two?” Bridget asked, deciding this line of awkwardly fake-pleasant conversation could be carried on in two ways.

  “We’re good,” Sharon answered, clearly confused.

  It sent a shiver of satisfaction through Bridget that she was catching her parents so off guard.

  “I’m surprised to see you still using that thing.” Sharon eyed the knee scooter.

  Confused, Bridget cocked her head at it and then Sharon. “I’m not weight-bearing yet, so I have to.”

  “It’ll only ruin your career faster if you don’t get back to work.”

  “I’m on a leave of absence, mandated by KBI since I had a work-related injury. I can’t go back—even to desk duty—until I’m cleared.”