Very attractive.
“I’m a mess,” I tell him, wiping at my cheek.
“You’rebrave,” he counters. “You’re here even though you’re terrified. That’s the very definition of courage.”
“Or stupidity,” I smile through the tears.
He shrugs. “Same thing sometimes.”
I laugh. Because he’s right and also because sitting here in his lap while confessing my deepest fears somehow feels safe.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “For not trying to fix me.”
“You’re not broken.” He wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “You’re just human.”
We stay like that. Wrapped up in each other while the woods continue being creepy outside. And for the first time since we arrived, I don’t feel like I’m about to shatter.
I feel...
Seen.
That’s the best word.
“We should sleep,” he says eventually. “Ben will be up at dawn wanting to hunt.”
“Right. The hunting.”
The activity that involves going deeper into these nightmare trees.
Cool.
But sleep feels impossible right now. My brain won’t stop replaying every sound outside. Every shadow. Every memory of being seven and lost and convinced I was going to die alone.
“Marco?” My voice comes out smaller than I intend.
“Yeah?”
I swallow. Hard. And whisper so Ben can’t hear: “Can you. I don’t know. Help me not think about it? The woods thing?”
He pulls back enough to look at me. Those dark eyes searching mine. “How?”
“I don’t know. Just. Be close? Distract me? Make me think about literally anything else?”
When you’re basically begging your boss to make you forget your childhood trauma through the power of his presence.
Very professional, Jess.
“Jess.” His voice drops lower. Warning or promise, I can’t tell. “If I get any closer, I’m not going to want to stop atdistraction.”
“Good,” I tell him.
The word hangs between us. Permission. Plea. Absolute certainty that this is what I need right now.
He stands, pulling me up with him.
We move down the hallway quietly. When we’re back in the main room, he eases the hallway door fully closed, tests the handle to make sure it latches properly.
“Locked,” he says.
