Mitchel
“Have you talked to Dane since you rescued me?”
It was a week after the night I’d been brought home and I was in the district attorney’s waiting room with Clark and Jackson, so it seemed like a good time to ask.
“Several times,” Clark said in surprise. “Why? I thought you two lived in each other’s pockets?”
I blew out a breath. “We do, I guess, but he’s been weird lately.”
“Weird, how?”
I shook my head. “It’s kind of hard to explain, but he’s just been kind of distant. I mean, he still does all the stuff he used to do but it’s different.” Clark raised a brow and I sighed again. “He won’t have sex with me,” I admitted. “And he’s making me drink milk.”
Clark coughed into his hand and I flipped him off, knowing full well he was hiding a laugh. Beside him, Jackson snickered. “Makingyou? Have you asked him why?”
“Yeah. He goes off on these long, rambling answers about needing to take care of my body and stay healthy.”
“Have you been feeling bad? Sick? Trouble sleeping?” Clark asked with a frown.
I shook my head. “No. Honestly, I barely even think about it. No nightmares, nothing.” I stood up and patted my gut. “And it’s hardly like I’m starving. He’s feeding me so much that I’ve probably gained five pounds.”
“Could be guilt?” Jackson said hesitantly. “Have you seen a doctor since you were grabbed? Maybe he’s worried there’s something undiagnosed.”
I thought about that for a minute. “No. I wasn’t really injured, so I didn’t bother and the police didn’t say I needed to.”
“Jackie could be right,” Clark agreed. “Maybe pop into the clinic for a checkup so he knows you’re okay? If that doesn’t help, I can talk to him for you.”
“Couldn’t hurt, I guess,” I agreed as the receptionist opened the plexiglass window and announced they were ready for us. “I’ll call and make an appointment as soon as we’re done here.”
~*~
Two days later
“It didn’t help,” I groaned into my cell phone the minute Jackson picked up on the other end. “I told Dane that I’d gone in to see the doctor and been given a clean bill of health but all that did was make him even weirder.”
Jackson snorted, his amusement coming through loud and clear. “Weirder likedrink more milkor weirder likeit puts the lotion on?”
“Very funny,” I sighed. “Weirder like now I’m not allowed to have sushi. Weirder like I had a turkey sandwich yesterday and he put it in the freaking microwave. Have you ever had microwaved turkey and mayo? It’s nasty.”
Jackson made a gagging noise. “I haven’t but it sounds awful.”
“It was.” I rubbed my eyes.
“What about the intimacy front?”
“You mean the lack of sex?” I sighed again. “No change. Every time I bring it up, he changes the subject. And he keeps scenting me. Like, constantly. I swear I’m going to get a callous on my neck from his damn nose rubbing against my skin.”
Jackson laughed again. “I thought you were all about physical contact?”
“I usually am,” I agreed with another groan, “but it’s all just so not us.” I blew out a breath. “Jackson, he gave me a bath last night.”
“That sounds romantic.”
“No. I mean he literallygave me a bath. Like I was a toddler. No groping, nothing. Even when I chubbed up, he just ignored it and kept on soaping me.”
The silence carried through the phone, telling me that Jackson was starting to understand.
“I think it’s time Clark talked to him,” Jackson offered. “I’m still wondering about whether he’s trying to deal with a guilty conscience about not protecting you, but without meeting with him one on one, I can’t really say.”
