Mitchel ceased his playful behavior.
âPlease help me lie down.
â
Raegan assisted Mitchel to the bed with careful movements.
Once settling Mitchel down, Raegan moved to take her usual seat beside it but was halted by his grasp on her hand.
He looked at her earnestly.
âLie beside with me.
â
âWell, I donât think itâs a good idea,â Raegan hastily protested, attempting to pull away.
With a teasing smile, Mitchel responded, âWhat, you think Iâm going to take advantage of you?â
Blushing, Raegan replied, âItâs not that.
Iâm just concerned about accidentally bumping into your injuries.
â
Maintaining his grip, Mitchel reassured her, âItâs just a couple of ribs.
Iâm not that fragile.
â
Frowning with concern, Raeganâs delicate eyebrows furrowed.
She sensed he was downplaying it.
It was more serious than he let on.
âCome on.
Get up here.
â Mitchel tried to pull Raegan up, inadvertently hurting his still-healing abdomen, causing his expression to tighten.
Concerned, Raegan asked, âWhatâs wrong? Did it hurt?â
Wincing, Mitchel admitted, âYeah, it did.
â
Alarmed, Raegan scolded, âI told you to be careful.
â
Giving her a playful glance, Mitchel teased, âWell, then, come on up.
â
With no further objections, Raegan cautiously climbed onto the bed, sticking to the edge to avoid touching him.
Amused by the distance she kept, Mitchel chuckled softly.
Reaching out, he gently pulled her closer, saying, âI didnât ask you up here to set boundaries.
â
As Raeganâs face inadvertently collided with Mitchelâs shoulder, she winced at the slight sting in her nose.
Rubbing her nose, she mumbled, âI was just trying to avoid hurting your injuries.
â
Mitchel felt a surge of joy for her cautiousness.
He reassured her, âJust be careful, and you wonât hurt me.
â
His warm breath against her neck made Raegan shiver.
Mitchel had always been a man of strong desires.
In their past adventures, he made sure every moment was memorable.
Now, after years, the absence felt even more unbearable than their five-year hiatus.
Sometimes, ignorance was indeed bliss.
But once experienced, the craving became insatiable.
Raegan noticed his hand starting to wander.
Quickly grasping his hand, she insisted, âYouâre injured.
We shouldnâtâ¦â
âItâs fine, justâ¦â Mitchel murmured softly into her ear.