Lost and Found Pieces 2

but this felt different. It made his heart ache. “Honey, what’s wrong? Please let me help you…” he growled, going down on his knees in front of her.
Roz lifted her hands from his and cupped his cheeks. With a shuddering, hiccupping breath, she leaned forward and barely brushed her lips across his. Mac went completely still, not daring to breathe, not daring to move. Then the gravity of the moment struck him, and he realized he couldn’t not respond to her. This had to be her first kiss since the attack, and it would humiliate her if he didn’t respond. He just had to figure out how much to give her without scaring her.
Leaving his hands clenched against his thighs, he tilted his head to fit their lips better. God, she tasted good. As good as he’d expected. Better, actually. Did he dare try to touch her? He had to. Lifting one hand to cup her cheek he wiped the tears away with his thumb. Then he forced himself to lean back from the kiss.
“What is this, Roz?” he asked quietly. “I understand you feel safe with me. You don’t have to do some grand gesture to try to show me how safe you feel.”
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts, shaking her head, looking forlorn. “That’s not why I did it,” she whispered. “I want to be the woman I was seven years ago. I want to be the woman who made a life for her and her son on their own, and bought a house and had a successful career. I want to be that carefree, confident woman that walked into work and saved lives. I want to be the woman who had no problem telling a guy she liked him and leaning in for a kiss, even when the location wasn’t appropriate.” For a second she grinned, glancing around, then it faded away. “I don’t know if it was the coffee shop or what, but I’m tired of hiding out and waiting for the world to change. I know it’s not. But I know I can change. I have before.”
She drew in a huge breath and he could see she was building her courage for something. Mac tried not to hope it was about him. He didn’t have any right to hope that. Actually, in his heart, he knew he would be ecstatic if she’d decided to do something for herself.
“Mac,” she said eventually, “I may be way out of line, but I want you… I want…” she shook her head in frustration, her hands wringing again.
Mac reached out and covered her small hands, looking into her eyes. “Just take a breath. It’s only me. I’m not going to judge you for anything. I told you that a long time ago.”
She blinked at him and nodded. “I want us to be more than roommates. I want to try, anyway. You give me hope that my heart hasn’t completely crumbled into pieces. Whether you realize it or not, you’ve been my rock as I’ve tried to glue all those tiny little pieces together. But it’s a bitch, I have to tell you,” she laughed.
Mac had to look down at their hands, his throat tight with emotion. “I will stand at your side as long as you let me, warrior woman,” he admitted, voice barely more than a whisper. “And I will buy you all the glue I can.”
She laughed again, her face softening. “This really isn’t fair to you. I can’t even guarantee what I’ll be on the other end of this. It will have to be a process. Physically, I’ve been… noticing things that make me think I’m not a total lost cause. But I’m a long way from jumping into bed with anyone.”
He leaned back, lifting a brow. “Noticing things?”
She cleared her throat and tugged at her hands, but he held them gently. “Yes,” she admitted, “things.”
“Like,” he questioned softly.
He thought that even in the moonlight he could see her cheeks flush. It made him smile, in spite of himself.
“You look very good with your beard trimmed,” she said softly, finally pulling one of her hands away to stroke his jaw. “It allows me see your lips.”
Mac’s heart raced and he knew he had to be careful. “It’s only fair. I’ve been dreaming about your lips for a long time.”
She blinked at him, and her mouth fell open a little. “You have?”
He nodded once. “Of course. I would love to stand beside you as you rebuild your heart, Roz. Just in the few months I’ve been here I’ve seen a change in you. Time after time you’ve amazed me with your strength. You fight with everything you are. I know it won’t happen soon, but I want you to know I’m willing to wait for you. You are completely worth it.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks again and she leaned into him for a hug. Mac cradled her gently in his arms, nuzzling his nose into her hair. “I love you,” he breathed, “and I know we can be perfect together, if you’re willing to give us a chance.”
She nodded against him, her arms tightening around his shoulders at his words. “I want to be there too. If you can be my buffer, I want to try to get out into the world again. I want to go for coffee and see the animals and the lights. And I want to be with people again, but this isn’t a fair proposition for you.”
“Hey,” he said, pulling back, searching her face. “Don’t look at it that way. Don’t worry about me. Like I said, I’m willing to wait for you. And if for some reason it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. Sex is a very small part of a relationship.”
“But important,” she argued.
“Yes, it is, but we have time. Let’s start with smaller steps and work up to it.”
Leaning in he pressed a kiss to her lips. Roz softened against him
“Let’s go to Columbus,” she breathed, “and see