Everything to Lose (Moonlight Dating Series #2) by Natalie G. Owens

and body tense. He looked toward the empty doorway. He may as well have locked the door, for Lisbeth kept clear of him and stayed in the bedroom.
    He missed the times when they’d stumble into each other in the bathroom, both naked but completely at ease as they washed up and got ready . The awkwardness now screamed at high pitch and its echo rebounded from the walls.
    Time for some fake comfort.
    Increasing the temperature of the water to soothing warmth, he closed his eyes and leaned back to let it stream over his face. He gave himself a long minute then turned off the water and rubbed his eyes.
    When he opened them , Lisbeth stood in front of him like a divine apparition, the towel in her hands, sad longing in her eyes. She raised it to his face and tenderly wiped off the excess water.
    “I thought you’d need me,” she said softly.
    Emotion threatened to choke him. He covered her hand with his larger one and stilled her. All he wanted to do was look at her face, drink it in, feel the hope rise inside him.
    “I always will, Lissy.”
    She gave a small nod and focused on the towel, away from his searching gaze. “I—I think I will, too.”
    Her eyes lifted again briefly before she leaned into him. She pressed her cheek to his wet chest and held on to his shoulders, one hand still gripping the towel like a lifeline.
    Moments later hot tears trailed onto his skin, burning him. He closed his eyes and bent his head to hers, gathered her closer in his embrace.
    “Lissy, I love you. I’m sorry for hurting you. Please believe me.”
    “God help me,” she sobbed. “I love you , too.” The tears broke through the dam then and she slumped further into him, as if the strength had left her.
    He stood in the bath with the dampness seeping into his flesh. When it slowly dried and the cool air hit him , he suppressed one shudder after another. It didn’t matter. She needed him now – he would be here for her. He deserved to suffer, anyway.
    I shouldn’t hold back with you but I do.
    Pain is a small word with a big reach. There were some things he couldn’t explain or change, but he hoped that although he wasn’t perfect , his love would be enough.
    H e rubbed her back until she stopped crying . As he gentled her, he felt her slowly return to normal.
    Without letting her go, he stepped off the bath onto the hard, cold floor. She pulled back , flipped the soft towel around his shoulders, like a cloak, and vigorously dried his upper arms and chest . She smiled despite her reddened eyes.
    “You’ll catch your death like this.”
    “No way. If I died I couldn’t do this.”
    He caught her at the waist and pulled her into him for a hard kiss that turned into a lingering, deep one that left them both breathless.
    “I would die only if you weren’t there,” he rasped when he straightened and saw the desire in her eyes.
    His self-control snapped. Catching her at the back and under the knees, he hauled her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. She shrieked in delight.
    Dinner could wait.
     
    ***
     
    When she was sound asleep he slipped out to a nearby restaurant and bought two pizzas Capricciosa to go – the last order of the evening as they were about to close. He wasn’t sure if Lissy would wake up to eat, but if she didn’t he was hungry enough to eat both their portions.
    He did eat both and fell back into bed, his belly full but not like lead. This pizza was light and airy, nothing like the heavy dough they used in some places back home.
    They slept until morning, past the sunrise. When he opened his eyes and saw Lissy , it was past eight.
    She had already taken her shower and dressed. She smiled at him as she put on an earring.
    “Morning lazybones.”
    “Who you callin’ lazybones? May I just stress that it takes a lot of energy to satisf y a demanding woman such as you? ”
    She threw a shirt at him. “Ah, you conceited man. Time to get up. I have some more demands in store,” she laughed.
    The old