All Chapters of Afraid to Love Again: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

His roughened voice and harsh grip on my head thrashes me into reality. Oh, God, no. No, no no no! I know that voice. Bryce. It’s not possible…“Let me go!”I come back into consciousness when I feel a hand on my shoulder. Panic, fear, pain, disgust – it’s all coursing through me and making my body shake. It was just a dream. Just another stupid dream. Breathe, Sophia. Just breathe. In and out. Once I’ve calmed, my eyes drift open and I lift my head to see Dr. Lee standing by the foot of the bed. I wipe my eyes and try for a smile, not sure how long I’ve slept."I thought you'd want these, his effects that we found on him when he came in."He hands me a small plastic bag and I take it with shaking fingers. I can see his cell phone, keys, and brown threaded wallet through the clear bag in my hand. Is this all I have to hold onto? Everything he had on him when he was hit by the semi?"Has he woken up at all?" The doctor asks, taking Gavin’s chart out from the holder against the wall a

I wait by the closed door of Gavin’s room, knotting my hands across my lap. I just left him with Dr. Lee ten minutes ago and I’m already missing his touch. I can't believe he's really okay. It’s all I can focus on right now. My thoughts are interrupted when Dr. Lee comes out of Gavin's hospital room and looks at me with a much more convincing smile than he gave me before. His kind eyes and easy going nature is almost the polar opposite from the grim looking doctor I met twelve hours ago."How are you doing, Sophia?”“I just want him to be okay. He’s going to be okay right?” I can hear the hope in my voice.“He will, Sophia. From what I can tell, all his vitals are stable and his scans all came back clear. He may have some pain in his ribs for the next few weeks and maybe some headaches depending on how he reacts to the pain medications we've given him so just keep an eye out for that. Other than that, he's good to go." All I hear is he’s going to be okay.I smile, wholeheartedly for

After three hours of watching daytime television, settled in Gavin's lap with his hands around my middle and his lips pressing to the side of my neck. I hear him groan and then chuckle, grunting a little bit from his broken ribs. He hides it well, but I can tell he's not at his best. The doctor told me he should be taking it easy and I fully intend to make sure he does just that. At least this way I can take care of him. The thought of that fills me with joy, though I hate that my Gavin is in pain. My thoughts are rudely interrupted as he snatches the television remote away from me. I feel him smiling against the side of my head."No way! What are you doing!?" I squeal, fighting to reach the remote he so rudely grabbed out of my hand. I feel his grin as he catches my earlobe tantalizingly between his teeth. My core tightens deliciously at the contact."I’m changing it. This is torture, Beautiful. Three hours of damn soap operas!" I giggle, leaning my head against his chest and look

I ease out onto the freeway just as a familiar song comes onto the radio.“This song,” Gavin murmurs as he takes my free hand and lifts it to his mouth. Butterfly kisses that light me up from the inside are placed on my knuckles as he turns up the volume and when I hear lyrics sung in a deep, throaty voice with base and guitar in the background, I’m taken back to a party only weeks ago.Call it magic, call it true. I call it magic when I'm with youAnd I just got broken, broken into twoStill I call it magic, when I'm next to youAnd I don't, and I don't, and I don't, and I don'tNo I don't, it's trueI don't, no, I don't, no, I don't, no, I don'tWant anybody else but you…I turn my eyes to Gavin’s deep blue grays, filled with nothing but love. Pure, unconditional love that I’ve been too scared to believe in for so long is staring back at me. I look up into those bright eyes of his and I know the same love is shining in mine.“You remember this song, baby?”I smile softly, put the L

The moment I taste Greta’s infamous omelet, I moan in satisfaction."Oh my God, this is so good."I take another bite and look up from my plate to see Gavin watching me. The look in his eyes is deep, hungry and it’s not for food."What? It’s really good.""They’re the best known to man, baby. I did warn you."I take a sip of water and smile at him."You did. Can we get out of here, now?" I’m eager to go home and have him all to myself again. Three days apart made me desperate to be with him, and he did say we had all day. I fully intend to soak up every precious minute with Gavin as much as I can.Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Gavin takes my hand and helps me out of the booth and then puts two bills down on the table."Let’s go."As we’re heading back towards the trail that leads to the penthouse and Garment district, my phone starts to ring. I’m tempted to let it go to voicemail, knowing that it couldn’t be important this early in the morning. But Gavin smiles slowly, in that way