I reached towards him tentatively, rubbing my fingers across his bruised face. “I love you,” I whispered huskily. “I love you, Conal.”
And God help me, it was the truth.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his whole body shuddering with the effort. “Good girl.” With tremendous exertion, he maneuvered us both onto the mattress, then wrapped his arms around me, and held me firmly against his body. Lowering his head, he removed the material from my chest and stared at the shredded skin for a minute, before he began to lick near my collarbone hesitantly. He was cautious, as if he expected I would tell him to stop. I shut my eyes, forcing myself to talk to him as he helped heal the wound. “I love you, Conal. I want you to hold me and kiss me. I want you to remember my scent, remember t
