Chapter Twelve
Two hours later, after explaining everything to the police several times, telling them every detail and waiting for it all to be translated back and forth, Jason wished for a shower and some time alone with Katie.
The doctor had come and looked at him, and thankfully he had only had minor cuts from the car glass, and none of those needed stitches. His fists were cut and slightly swollen. When he’d looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, he realized he looked like he’d lost a battle with a dozen cats. He’d heard that Dante had it much worse, and that he had been rushed to the hospital where he was having surgery to put pins in his left leg and shoulder. Without Dante and Ric, they wouldn’t have known where the men had been taking Katie. Jason owed them so much. He was so proud of Katie for maneuvering the men into taking her someplace public and for her quick thinking in showing her brother where they were heading. Without that, well, he didn’t want to think about what would have happened.
Not to mention that Rodrick had followed him the dozen blocks to the bank and helped out where he could. For a sixty-year-old man, he had kept up with him pretty well. He’d arrived just in time to see the end of the fight, but Jason knew that he would have gladly jumped in the ring at any time.
Katie’s father and brother never left her side the entire time they sat at the police station. Ric had walked to the police station from the hospital. He’d given them the update on Dante and told them that Damiano had rushed to the hospital to be by his son’s side. He told Ric to tell them that he would see Katie tomorrow and that he was happy everything was okay.
By the look on Ric’s face, Jason knew that Kathleen had been at the hospital, too. He didn’t know what Ric thought of the woman anymore, but the sour look on his face told him that he wasn’t too pleased to see her there.
He knew that Katie would have wanted to avoid seeing her, so they agreed to visit Dante the next morning, knowing she wouldn’t be there.
Jason had almost lost Katie. How could he have been so stupid as to walk them on a public sidewalk, in broad daylight? He never thought that she could be snatched like that. He assumed that they would be safe, but he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He knew he didn’t want to live without her, he couldn’t.
When they walked out of the police station several hours later, they rode in a taxi cab with Rodrick to the hotel where Rodrick and Ric had been staying since their arrival.
Ric had gone and retrieved their rental car and backpacks for them an hour earlier. He’d even gotten them a single room for the night in the same hotel. Jason had known Ric his whole life, and they respected each other. He could tell that Ric had known the second he’d seen them together that Katie and his relationship had changed.
Ric had shaken his hand at the police station. Then he had hugged him and quietly said, “Welcome to the family, bro.” Jason just smiled and had put his arm around Katie.
Now they headed up to their room to get some well-needed rest The second they entered the room alone, he turned and just held onto her. He couldn’t remember a hug feeling this good in his entire life. He knew he must smell like blood and probably had enough on him that people could easily mistake him for a vampire who’d just eaten, but he held her until she stopped crying. Then he realized tears had escaped his eyes as well.
“It’s okay, you’re okay,” he whispered to her, but when she didn’t stop crying right away, he asked, “What, what’s wrong, baby?”
“I thought…” she pulled back and looked at him as he wiped her tears away gently with his fingers. “I thought I would never see you again, that I wouldn’t be able to tell you how much I love you.”
“You don’t have to tell me, I already know. It’s the same way I feel about you. Katie, I don’t want to live a day without you.” He looked into her eyes. “We’ve been friends forever and I can’t imagine a day without you. I don’t want to be without you ever again.”
She looked at him, then took his hand and started walking him backwards.
“Katie?” he pulled her to a stop. “I pretty much just asked you to marry me.”
“I know, but we need a shower before I answer you.” She smiled and tugged until he followed her into the bathroom where she started removing his soiled clothing quickly.
Giving in, he laughed and started pulling her clothes off more quickly as they kissed.
They walked into the large shower and slowly enjoyed cleaning every inch of each other under the warm spray.
He noticed some bruises on her arms when he ran his soapy hands over her. Then he turned her around and shampooed her hair, slowly rubbing his fingers on her scalp, causing her to moan with delight.
“You know; I can get used to you shampooing my hair. It feels so, mmmm.”
“Good,” he chuckled. “I love the feel of it. I like the shorter style, it suits you.”
Once he was done with her hair, he ran his hands down her shoulders. Pulling her back against him, he brushed his fingers over her chest, sending small goose bumps over her skin. She shivered and rolled her head back with her eyes closed as she leaned back against him.
He continued his downward path over her stomach, lower, until he touched her and she grabbed his arms to steady herself. He watched her eyes close. He turned her and took her lips in a passionate kiss that he never wanted to end.
When the water turned cool, he pulled her out and wrapped a towel around her. He walked her backwards while drying her face and hair with the towel. She laughed and tried to pull him down for another kiss.
“No, no, turn around, I have to finish drying you off.” He smiled wickedly, knowing just what she needed.
She looked at him and smiled, then turned so her bare back was facing him. Slowly he rubbed the dry towel over her shoulders, taking care to move down each arm. Then he moved back to the middle of her back, running kisses down her shoulders. She dropped her head forward so he would have better access. Then he ran the towel over her perfect rear end, and bending down, he placed a light kiss on each cheek.
She smiled as he used his hands to push her forward so she was bent over, holding herself up on the bed. Then he used his knees and hands to spread her legs wider, giving himself access to her. He used the towel and lightly dried every inch of her legs, roaming upwards until he let the soft cotton rub against her, causing her to moan. He used his fingers against her wet skin, listening to the slickness that he’d caused as he rubbed her until she was panting with want.
“Please, Jason,”
Then he stood behind her and grabbing her hips, positioned himself just at her entrance.
“Tell me that you’ll marry me, Katie.” He held himself just outside her, so she could feel the light pressure.
“Yes, of course, I’ll marry you. Now, Jason,”
He slid into her and quickly lost his self-control, moving faster until they were both out of breath.