Read Online The Return of Jonas (Pearl Vampire Chronicles #4) by Dara Nelson - Free Book Online

for a few seconds. ‘Okay, Florence Nightingale, tell me all about it.’
    I spent the next few minutes telling him about the clinic, the kids, the emergencies, how much it meant to me.  Finally, I felt his hand relax in mine and I knew he was asleep again.  I gently pulled my hand out and crept back to my seat, snuggling back into Matt.  “He okay now?” he mumbled.
    “He’s sleeping again,” I whispered, “which is what we should be doing.”
    “Maybe I don’t want to ,” he said as he tilted my chin up and found my lips with his, kissing me soft and sensually. And there we remained for the rest of the flight.  No rush or inclination to take it farther, just like two teenagers making out on a first date.  And we didn’t stop until the plane taxied to a stop on the tarmac.  As the engines wound down, I put my forehead on his and just breathed him in.
    “I love you so much,” I said.  His hands came up to my f ace.
    “Look at me, Sarah” he said, and I did . “Stop feeling guilty and stop feeling like you have to prove something to me.  I know you love me and you have nothing to feel guilty for.” His finger went to my lips as I tried to protest. “No, no more of this.  We had a hiccup and we’ve come through it.  It was tough on all of us, but we made it through.  And given the nature of our species and how long we’re going to be together, I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last one.  It’s probably the first of many, actually.  But we’ll get through them all, together, and with each one our love will get stronger.  You of all people should know that life can throw you some pretty wicked curveballs, but each one is a lesson, and if you learn from it then you come out better on the other side.”
    I just stared at him, completely speechless.  How was I supposed to respond to that?  How am I not supposed to feel guilty?  “But how Matt?” I whispered . “How am I supposed to not feel guilty?”
    “Because if you don’t, Sarah, then we can’t move past this.  I have and I need you to, also.  How the hell are we supposed to enjoy each other if you’re spending all your time worrying about how I’m going to react or trying to atone for something that , truthfully, wasn’t much of anything?”
    “But I don’t know how to not feel guilty.  I’ve never been on this side before.  I’ve always been on your side of something, the side where I’m trying to make someone else feel less guilty about something that they did to me.  I’ve always been the quote, unquote, victim, not the bad guy – like when my first husband Rob had cheated on me and I had forgiven him.  I feel like shit, Matt, and I can’t seem to make that go away,” I said.
    “I know, Sarah, but you need to find a way, because, honestly, I’m getting pretty sick and tired of hearing you say how sorry you are.  I know you’re sorry, I know he’s sorry, but frankly, every time you tell me you’re sorry now just reminds me of the whole thing all over again, and I really would rather that doesn’t happen.  I would prefer to not have to think about it ever again, is that too much to ask?  Can you at least make that happen?”
    I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lip. I came so close to saying I’m sorry again it wasn’t funny.  Instead I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid
    my head on his chest . “I love you Matthew Pearl, I seriously don’t deserve you, but I completely love you.  Okay, you win.  I’ll do my best to stop feeling guilty and I won’t say I’m sorry anymore… but I will always be trying to make it up to you, so get used to that,” I said.
    He lifted my chin and grinned at me . “Well, I was hoping for that, darlin’, looking forward to it actually.” He leaned down and planted one of those kisses on me.

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Somehow we managed to get Carlos off the plane and onto the helicopter without him waking up, but the turbulent helicopter ride