Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
Her heart filled with warmth.
She was more convinced than ever that marrying into the Luke family on Mathilda’s behalf was the best decision she’d ever made.
There was a time she had given up on men-on love, relationships, and trust. After everything she’d gone through, the idea of marrying a man in a coma- -someone who would never lie to her, betray her, or hurt her-actually brought her peace.
She used to hope James would never wake up-life felt easier that way. At least that way, I’d be free.
But tonight, seeing the genuine warmth and affection in Grace and Nancy’s eyes, she felt a shift. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if James woke up.I want this family to be whole. I want them to be happy.
She hoped this family would stay happy and safe, and be granted all the joy they deserved.
“It’s getting late,” Grace said gently. “Lily, you’ve had a long day. Go upstairs and rest.”
She didn’t want Lily to feel overwhelmed on her first night, so she kept the conversation short. She gave a quick overview of James’s condition, handed over the marriage certificate, and asked a housekeeper to escort Lily to James’s room.
Nancy explained that a specialist visited regularly to give James therapeutic massages and that all his meals were prepared and handled with care.
During the day, Lily didn’t need to worry about anything.
Up until now, James’s bathing and body care had been handled by male staff or his personal assistant.
But now that he was married, those responsibilities would fall to Lily. wed, to Jul 9 8 6
Lily found the request completely reasonable.
Still, she’d never done something like this for a man before. It felt strange-awkward.
Still, James was her legal husband, and she was supposed to care for him for the rest of her life. Eventually, she’d have to get used to it.
“Miss Lily, Mr. Luke is inside. Please rest well,” the housekeeper said respectfully before stepping out.
Now alone in the room, Lily finally got a good look at James.
He lay silently in the custom-built bed, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs making for a frame so striking it almost didn’t feel real.
She’d assumed the pictures had been retouched-no one looked that perfect in real life.
She never would’ve guessed-James looked even better in person than he did in the photos.
Thanks to round-the-clock care from doctors and nutritionists, his body hadn’t wasted away at all during his four years of unconsciousness. His features were still sharp, his skin healthy and full, his presence somehow… luminous.
He looked… incredible. Regal. Untouchable. He looked like a prince out of a storybook.
And now, she had to bathe him.
Lily had never done anything like this for another man, and she felt nervous. Okay… just pretend he’s a statue. A ridiculously good-looking one, but still-a statue. It was the only way she could keep her hands from shaking.
She repeated that to herself until her heartbeat calmed just a little.
She filled a basin with warm water, dampened a towel, and started to unbutton his clothes.
His skin was pale-cool-toned, smooth-but his features were bold and defined. Nothing about him seemed delicate. Even unconscious, he looked powerful. Unshakable.
If anything, he had this quiet authority about him. Even unconscious, there was a presence to him-steady and unmistakable. The kind that was hard to ignore.
And his body… wow.
She kept unbuttoning his shirt, slowly revealing a lean, defined chest-solid and toned, like the kind you’d see on someone who actually trained for it, not just showed off. He wasn’t bulky, just naturally fit, with every line of muscle sharp and effortless.
Lower down, his abs were sharp and tight. That unmistakable V-line…
Even though she kept telling herself he was just a statue-nothing more than a body she had to take care of-her face still flushed. He looked too good, too real, for her to treat this like it meant nothing. Embarrassed, she turned her head and focused on wiping him down, doing her best to keep her hands steady. She was clumsy, flustered, and trying hard not to look too long.
His legs were ridiculously long.
She worked quickly, cleaning most of his body with the towel, grateful that she was almost finished.
But when she reached the final part… she froze.
Only one area left. Should I? I mean… I probably should, right? She stood there, stiff and stuck, unsure.
Eventually, she let out a quiet sigh and made her choice.
She liked this family. Really liked them. Their kindness, their warmth-it made her feel something she hadn’t in a long time.
And for the first time in a long time, she felt like she belonged somewhere.
She had made a promise to Grace and Nancy. She told them she’d take care of James, and she wasn’t about to break her word.
And they were legally married. It wasn’t like she was crossing any lines.
He’s my husband. I’m not doing anything wrong. Just helping him stay clean. That’s all. So she pushed past the hesitation and kept going.
She kept telling herself she was just helping him stay clean-that was it. Nothing inappropriate. Nothing weird. No reason to be embarrassed.
But even as she tried to convince herself… She couldn’t stop blushing.
Especially when-
The moment something clicked in her mind, Lily’s hand jolted. The towel slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor.
He was in a coma. A man in a coma shouldn’t… react like that.
Seeing what she saw, her face went red with embarrassment.
Still, she couldn’t exactly stop halfway and walk out. That would be even worse, right?
She stood frozen for a long moment, then finally bent down, picked up the towel, rinsed it out, and decided to finish the job.
That’s when a voice-a low, angry voice-broke through the silence.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The sound of it hit her like a slap. Her heart practically stopped.
She was alone in the room-with a man in a coma. Who said that?
She scanned the room, suddenly tense, wondering if someone had broken in. Then she turned-and locked eyes with him. Dark, steady, and intense.
James was awake.
Lily gasped and dropped the towel again.
-he He was awake? How was that even possible? They said he might never come back. And now-seriously, now- wakes up? While I’m cleaning him? While my hand was literally right there? Of all the moments… why this one?
She stood there, stiff and stunned, not even sure what to do with her hands. Before she could speak, his voice came again-cold, furious, every word ground between his teeth.
“Who gave you permission to touch me? Get out.”
James looked livid.
His eyes burned with rage, sharp and deadly. The fury in them was impossible to miss.
He couldn’t believe it. After all this time-after being completely unconscious for years-he opened his eyes to this-a woman touching him without consent, acting like she had the right.
His mind ran wild. How long had this been going on? How far had she gone while I was unconscious? His face- usually calm and unreadable-twitched with anger he could barely contain.
He had someone he cared about. Leila.
They hadn’t met in person yet, but that didn’t matter. She was the one. The only one he ever wanted near him. The only one he trusted. No one else. Especially not a stranger.
“I…” Lily stood frozen, completely lost for words.
It was painfully clear-James wanted nothing to do with her.
Back when she agreed to marry him in name, she’d accepted that life with a man in a coma would be hard -lonely, even.
After moving into the Luke household, she’d spent plenty of time thinking about how to take care of James, how to meet his needs.
But what she never considered… was what would happen if he actually woke up. What do I even say to him now? What am I supposed to do when he clearly doesn’t want me here?
“Get. Out.” James snapped again when she didn’t move fast enough. His eyes narrowed as he noticed where her gaze had accidentally drifted-right back to the part of him she’d just been cleaning.
His expression darkened.
Most people in his condition wouldn’t be able to move much right after waking up. Muscles atrophied. Bodies weakened.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
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