Chapter 137 Home
Shea's P.O.V.
I'm thankful Dakota gave me clothes to wear, so I didn't have to leave the hospital in a gown. We're on our way to the Kondrati compound now. If Tyler weren't with me, I'd insist on going home so I could pack and get out of town. I know Dustin will come after me, eventually.
I have to admit, Dakota scared me a little when she was fighting the fake nurse. There was a look in her eyes that gave me chills. I see why so many people respect her. Not only is she sweet and smart, but she's scary as hell. I would never want to get on her bad side.
When we pull up to the gates, I squeeze Tyler's hand. I have never been the clingy type, but I feel safer just touching him. We stop in front of the house, and he helps me out.
"I'll show you around," he says as he takes me inside. The house is huge and reminds me a little of Galdino's house, but I can see more feminine touches here. After showing me the downstairs, Tyler hesitates in front of a door on the second floor.
"Is everything okay?" I ask him.
"This is my room. I wasn't sure if you wanted to see it or not." I reach for the handle and push it open.
"Since I plan on sleeping in your bed, I think I should see it. You don't have a problem sharing your bed with me, do you?" I turn to look at him after I walk in. My body still hurts, but I've learned a long time ago how to ignore pain.
"I wasn't sure you'd still want to. I didn't want to make you feel obligated." I walk over and wrap my arms around him, ignoring the pain in my ribs. He's so big and strong. He makes me feel like no one can hurt me with him by my side.
"Just because we've left the hospital doesn’t mean I've changed my mind about anything. I like you, Tyler. I like you a lot. You're the first man I feel I can be honest with without being judged. That means more to me than anything in the world. Ari has always been my best friend, but we grew apart as adults. I've been alone for so long. That's one of the reasons I did what I did with different men. Not only did I want the money, I also wanted to feel wanted. However, all they did was make me feel cheap." Tyler pulls away slightly and looks into my eyes.
"You can always be honest with me. You're not cheap. You did what you felt like you had to. One of the things I've come to realize is that I wanted to be with Dakota for the same reason. Mine and Sarah's birth dad died when we were too young to remember him. Bobby has been the only dad we've known, and he loves us. When my mom became pregnant with my brother, I was excited to have another sibling. However, when they named him Bobby Junior, I began feeling a little disconnected. Bobby never treated me any differently from my brother, and I know it was all in my head, but it made me act out. Dakota was the only one I could honestly talk to about it, and she would set me straight. She can calm you down and knock sense into you at the same time. I mean that literally. For as small as she is, she can punch like a three-hundred-pound man. I misconstrued my love for her as a friend into thinking there was something more. I didn't want to feel like I didn't have anyone to talk to. You and I had very different childhoods, but they brought us to the same place. We've both made mistakes and done things we wish we could take back. I think that's part of why we feel connected. We understand nobody's perfect, but we may be perfect for each other."
I'm so glad nobody has snatched him up yet. Tyler's more perfect than he realizes. I stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. My lip is still swollen, but I want more. I keep my eyes on his as our mouths touch. He pulls me against him, and I close my eyes while our lips slowly move. I open my mouth, and his tongue slides inside. Tears run down my cheeks when he pulls away.
"I'm sorry I got carried away. Was that too fast?" he asks, wiping my tears.
"No. I've never been kissed like that. It felt good." Tyler smiles and kisses me softly.
"Get used to it. I plan on spending a lot of time kissing you." I giggle and hug him.
"Can we lie down?" He nods and walks over to get something out of his dresser. He hands me one of his T-shirts.
"Do you want to sleep in this?" I take it from him, remove Dakota's shirt, and put Tyler's on. I then remove the shorts she gave me. The shirt almost reaches my knees.
"It's perfect." I sit on the edge of the bed and see the anger in his eyes.
"Is everything okay?" I ask. He shakes his head, walks over, and lifts me in his arms.
"No. Those twins are going to pay for what they did to you. I will not rest until they do." He kisses my forehead and then lays me on the bed. I forgot my entire body is black and blue. I climb under the quilt while he removes his pants before getting in next to me. Tyler puts his arm under me and pulls me against him so my head rests on his chest. I wrap my arm around him and slide my leg over his. I have never felt at home anywhere, but lying with Tyler, I feel like I'm home.