“But I don’t want you too.”
“I don’t want to leave either. But Ida needs you. We can see each other when she’s ready to go home again.”
He shook his head. “But that could take weeks. She’s really angry with her, Pete. And I can’t stand not being with you for that long.” Fuck, he was cute.
“I know. But what else can we do? She needs you, and me being here won’t be easy for her.”
“But what if you lived here?”
“What?!”
He got up and held my face in his hands. “Just hear me out, okay? If you lived here, would you have left? Or is it because you feel like you’re visiting and imposing on her visiting?”
“Um.” I really had no way of answering that.
“Exactly. If you lived here, you wouldn’t feel the need to go away, because this would be your home. Ida doesn’t know if you live hereor not. And I selfishly want you by my side. I can’t deal with you going home already. Please stay. We can tell Ida you’re living here. She won’t feel like you’re imposing on our brother and sister time if you live here.”
He was making sense, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling of being in the way. “I’ll stay on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“If I feel like a third wheel, or like you two need to speak alone, I’ll go into your bedroom and read, and you’ll allow that without trying to make me stay. There might be things she won’t be comfortable talking about with me in the room.”
“Deal.” He kissed me. Softly at first, then more demanding as his tongue sought entry. I moaned, allowing him to dominate the kiss. To take whatever he wanted from me.
The sound of the intercom buzzing ruined the heated kiss.
I slapped his arm. “She’s here already?!”
A sheepish shrug was all the answer I got.
Chapter 14
Jackson
Knowing Pete was staying had my body relaxing again. What was it about him leaving that left me… breathless? It was like the thought of him not being near was enough to make me spiral. Was I depending on his company? Had I somehow made him my anchor? That was what Bren had said could happen, that one day someone would be my safety net. I’d thought Mike was that for me, during the countless nights filled with nightmares. How he’d helped me through them. Had been there for me. But him leaving only made me worry a little. After all, it was easier dealing with nightmares when you weren’t alone. That was just facts. But Pete leaving… It had scared me, and he hadn’t even left, only packed his things. I’d been so troubled by my surprising emotions that it'd taken me way longer than it should have to voice my wants. And God how I wanted him to stay.
The buzzer sounded again and I cursed Ida under my breath for being so impatient.Teenagers. I reached the door and pushed the button, letting her inside the building, then opened the door and waited for her. Pete stood in the living room, still unsure if he was wanted. If only he knew how badly I wanted him. Would it please him to know? Or scare him off? Had he imagined I was this strong confident man? Adominantman? I was in the bedroom, but I had so much baggage outside of it. Would that be too much for him? He had a demanding and dangerous job, and then his own trauma from the attack, a trauma we had no idea how would manifest once he started healing. Would he have nightmares, too? Would he be afraid of the dark? Of going into bars? We had no idea. Damn, so much baggage and we’d only just started this dating thing. It was a surprise neither of us had run for the hills, yet.
Ida came into view and I really should’ve called her sooner. Her face was pale, her eyes sunken in with dark circles underneath. It looked like she hadn’t slept in days.
“Ida, what happened?” I said, not bothering with a greeting as I hugged her close. She hugged me back and sobbed into my chest.
“Can I please stay?” Her voice was so fragile, filled with vulnerability and fear. Was she afraid I would turn her away? Never. No. Fucking. Chance.
“You can stay here for as long as you need,” I assured her, then closed the door and led her to the living room. “This is my boyfriend, Pete.” Pete’s eyes widened, but luckily Ida didn’t appear to have seen the ‘boyfriend’reaction.
“Nice to meet you,” Pete said, holding out his hand.
“You too,” she replied, shaking his hand, both sharing shy smiles. It warmed my chest seeing Pete and Ida together.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked, noting she appeared thinner than last time I’d seen her.
“Can I ask for something big?” She looked at me and bit her lip, just like she would when she begged me for toys as a child.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, anything.”
“I could really use some greasy burgers and fries. Uh! And a strawberry milkshake. I haven’t hadHannah’ssince last time I saw you.”
