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Glarys threw herself into her work, cleaning every inch of the mansion as if her life depended on it. Perhaps it did, since her heart had devolved into a heap of broken mush. After she left Sam a week ago, he’d refused to see her when she returned to the infirmary. Sadie, the kind physician and Nolan’s wife, had hugged her as she burst into tears.
“It’s a devastating loss, Glarys,” she’d said, rubbing her back in a soothing gesture. “He’s got to come to terms with it in his own way. You’ll know when he’s ready to see you.”
“What if he’s never ready?” she asked, sniffling into the wadded tissue she pulled from her purse. “Doesn’t he understand I don’t give a fig about his arm?”
“He’s as stubborn as you are. Give him some time. I promise, it will work out.”
Glarys had left the kind doctor and returned home, wondering how her life had devolved to this level of extreme despair. She missed Sam so desperately that she would cry into her pillow each night, craving his gentle snores and loving caresses. Perhaps that was why he was pushing her away: he felt his inability to touch her would preclude her from loving him back. Nothing could be further from the truth. Glarys longed to wrap her arms around him and show him they could still maintain their fervent and passionate connection. If only he understood how much she craved his presence; how vehemently she missed his sweet kisses.
A few days after the attack, Sadie informed her Sam had moved into one of the vacant cabins at the edge of Uteria. She and Nolan checked on him daily, making sure he was stocked with Slayer blood and ensuring he drank it. Although he was stubborn, he was reluctantly imbibing enough to stay alive.
Glarys debated the best way to approach him since he was still adamant he didn’t want to see her. The sentiment stung. She ached to comfort him and help him heal—not just from the wound, but from the emotional scars it had invoked.
A week after his injury, as she cleaned Heden’s room, furiously wiping down every speck of the vacant chamber, the anger that had been welling burned inside her gut. Opening the dresser drawer to dust inside, she gasped when she saw the black bag. Pulling it open, she clutched the felt box inside. With shaking fingers, she opened it to reveal a magnificent ring.
Tears flooded her eyes as she realized Sam had hidden it so she wouldn’t find it before he proposed.
Closing the box, she tightened her fist around it, squeezing for dear life. Unwilling to let him push her away any longer, she rushed to her chamber to shower and then called Latimus.
“Hey, Glarys,” his deep voice answered. “You okay?”
“I need you to pick me up and drive me to the cabin Sam’s staying in at Uteria. You know I wouldn’t ask you to interrupt your day if it wasn’t important, but I need to speak with him, and I’m done letting him push me away.”
She could almost feel his smile through the phone. “I’ll be there in twenty-five minutes.”
Over an hour later, she felt a crack in her resolve as they pulled up to the remote cabin on the outskirts of Uteria. Steeling herself, she exited the vehicle and straightened her shoulders, silently staring at the wooden shack.
“You can do this, Glarys,” Latimus said from behind the wheel. “I’ll be at the barracks behind the castle if you need me. Call anytime. Good luck.” With a salute, he drove away.
Inhaling a deep breath, she climbed the creaky stairs and knocked on the door. Answered by nothing but resounding silence, she began to pound until she heard, “For the goddess’s sake, come in before you beat the door down!”
Pushing it open, she headed inside, noting the dimness of the small cabin. Sam sat on the bed with his back against the headboard, long legs stretched in front of him, bare feet crossed at the ankles. He only wore sweatpants, that gorgeous abdomen making her mouth water. God, but she’d missed the sight of his smooth skin.
Planting her fists on her hips, she tapped her foot. “Well? You don’t remember how to return a phone call?”
Sighing, he pressed his head against the headboard. “In case you haven’t noticed, I can’t really work a phone these days.”
With a harrumph, she closed the cabin door and proceeded to open the curtains, causing beams of sunlight to blanket the room.
“Hey!” he said, squinting. “I wanted those closed.”
“Well, too bad,” she said, suddenly furious he’d all but given up. Where was the strong, steady soldier she fell in love with? “I’m pretty disappointed in you, Sam, and mad as hell that you’re pushing me away.”
“What do you want me to say, Glarys?” His tone was devoid of emotion, sending a jolt of fear down her spine. “It’s over for me.”
“Oh, holy hell.” Stomping over to him, she gripped his shoulder and tugged. “Stand up.”
He glared at her. “What are you doing, woman—?”
“I know you still have perfectly functioning legs, so I want you to stand the hell up, Sam. Come on.”
Grumbling, he wriggled off the bed and stood. He was disheveled and unshaven as he stared down at her. Even in this state, he was so achingly handsome.
“Sweetheart,” she whispered, sliding her hand to cup his jaw. She moved slowly, understanding he was raw and wracked with pain. Caressing his cheek with her thumb, she willed the tears in her eyes to abate. “Do you realize you’re breaking my heart?”
A ragged breath exited his lungs as he shook his head. “It’s what’s best for you, Glarys. You’ll see that one day. I’m choosing to end this so you can be with someone whole.”
“Hogwash,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I have no desire to be with anyone but you. And I’ll remind you that I get to choose whom I love, so you can stop making choices for me right now.”
“Do you really want to sign up for this?” Flailing his stubbed arms, he appeared incensed. “A life with a man who can never touch you? Never hold you? I’m helpless, Glarys. A damn invalid. I’m doing you a favor, whether you realize it or not.”
Furious, she stomped her foot. “First of all, you can touch me just fine.”
“No, I can’t—”
“Yes, you can.” Standing on her toes, she kissed him, reveling in his quick intake of breath. “See? You just touched me with those magnificent lips. You’ll have to use those more. I think I’ll like that just fine.”
Brown irises darted between hers. “I won’t become a burden to you.”
Rolling her eyes, she pulled the papers from her purse. “Nolan gave me these,” she said, shaking them. “Did you even look at the research he did on the prosthetic limbs? They’re absolutely amazing, Sam. They have the capability to do everything a functioning arm can do.”
“And you’ll be stuck with a man who looks like a damn cyborg.”
“Like Luke Skywalker,” she said, feeling herself grin. “I thought his mechanical arm was quite fancy. You’ll be like the last Jedi. Like my Jedi. I’d be honored to be at your side while you sport something like that.”
Lowering his gaze, he studied the floor, looking so forlorn that she set her purse down and slid her palms over his pecs. Closing her eyes, she shivered as the tiny hairs scratched her skin.
“Goddess, Sam,” she whispered, “I feel like I haven’t touched you in so long.” Lifting her lids, her gaze bore into his. “I love you, you daft man. Whether you have a hundred arms or zero. Don’t you understand?”
Lowering his forehead to hers, he shook his head. “Glarys, if I truly loved you, wouldn’t I let you go? I feel like it’s so selfish to tie you to someone who’s broken.”
“You’re not broken. Please don’t say that. You’re the man who regenerated my heart. I never thought I’d ever feel love or desire again. You’ve given me the world, Sam. I just need you to love me enough to stay.”
“I love you more than I ever thought possible,” he whispered, brushing a kiss across her lips. “I’m just terrified you’ll be sacrificing so much to be with me.”
“Love requires sacrifice, sweetheart.” Sliding her arms around his neck, she drew him close. “Will times be hard? Sure. Can we get through them together? I believe we can. The question is, do you believe we can?”
He was quiet for a moment. “I believe in you.”
Feeling her lips curve, she drew him closer. “That’s enough for now. Let’s start there. We’ll forge this new path together. I don’t care if it’s hard. I just care that you’re by my side.”
He studied her in silence as his shoulders slowly released their tension. “Okay,” he whispered, pushing his body into hers. “I wish I could hold you.”
“I’ve got you,” she said, squeezing her arms around his neck as their bodies molded together. “And you’re doing just fine, Sam. Now, do me a favor and kiss me, will you?”
Cementing her lips to his, she threaded her fingers through his hair and succumbed to his skillful tongue. Feeling her knees buckle, she held on for dear life, so thrilled to be in his presence.
Once she’d been thoroughly kissed and blood was pounding through her veins, she drew back and bent to search her purse. Finding the box, she lifted it.
“I found this in Heden’s drawer.”
“I wanted to give it to you by the river. I had it all planned out. It was going to be perfect.”
“Life gets in the way of perfect sometimes,” she said, setting the box on his bedside table. “I’ll leave it there, and you can figure out another time to give it to me. How does that sound?”
His lips curved. “It sounds pretty good.” Stepping toward her, he leaned down and nuzzled her temple with his nose. “Everything inside me is reaching for you right now, honey. I wish you could feel it.”
“I do,” she whispered, sliding her arms around his waist. “I feel it, Sam. Now, kiss me again and tell me you love me.”
Chuckling, he placed a poignant kiss on her lips. “I love you so much, Glarys. To the bottom of my soul. I hope I’m worth the struggle. I promise I’ll try.”
“The struggle makes the good times better—I’ve learned that over the centuries. We’ll do this together, Sam. All the way.”
Pressing his lips to hers, he drew her to him, sucking her tongue into his mouth and bathing her with his taste.
“Oh, yes,” she murmured, feeling the slickness at her core. “We’re going to do just fine, Sam.”
Breathing a laugh, he nodded and kissed her into oblivion.