That was all to say that despite the seemingly giant setbacks, Marlow was barely letting it slow him down.
“Got it?” I asked.
He hobbled slightly before getting a good balance going. “Better watch out, Blake. I’m going to be faster than you with these things.”
I smiled, even with my heavy heart. “Let’s see how well you do with stairs and then we can talk.”
“You’re on.”
Settlinginto Marlow’s home was weirdly easier than I expected.
Upon first glance of the outside of it, it felt more structured and rigid, not at all fitting the man who lived inside of it. However, the second the front door was opened and that deep scent ofMarlowhit me, things began to feel strangely likehome.
His decor was, while tasteful, still uniquely him. The bold colors and over-the-top design quality spoke of a man who wasn’t afraid to think outside the box and live life to the fullest extent, bleeding that same mindset into the rest of whatever he touched.
I liked being here more than I missed being back home.
What did that say about me?
I had the sense in me to be wary of how easily I was falling into a routine only hours into arriving. Giving in to the want and desire of molding myself into his life was natural enough for me to forget all about it, until the stark reminder that I’d need to go back to Wakefield eventually hit me the second I’d caught my own reflection in one of the passing mirrors.
Maybe it was a bad idea to agree to any of this, to kid myself into thinking taking care of Marlow would be a simple thing and not end with me giving myself yetanotherexistential crisis.
My granddad had already given me the green light to take as much time as I needed, and the rest of my staff were simply relieved to hear of Marlow’s harrowing survival to be upset that I was taking time off during the busiest season we were open.
I only wished I could’ve finished out seeing the end of my youth group’s tournament. From Talos’s recount, it had gone on without a single hitch—an impressive feat I wasn’t so sure I could claim responsibility for even after his heavy insistence.
Nonetheless, I hoped next year we’d have an even better turn out.
Warm lips ghosted along the column of my neck. “Here I thought I’d find you cooking lunch, only to catch you overthinking the pasta to death.”
I winced.
How the hell was he able to sneak up on me with those damn crutches?
I wasn’tthatlost in thought... was I?
He trailed his mouth up to my jaw, nipping slightly at the skin there before moving up to the spot right below my ear. “Camp got you worried?”
A damn open book. I had to get better at that. It wasn’t fair that I had all my cards out on the table so readily available to him.
Where was the mystery? The hint of intrigue?
“Sort of. I talked to Talos this morning before we left the hospital. He said everything was fine. I just...” My voice trailed off.
“Next year, Blake,” Marlow murmured, reading me instantly. “Maybe you can even get a few sponsors to host your event to make it even bigger than this year’s. That would be cool.”
I wanted to melt back into him. Let him pamper me like he’d promised to do when he’d told me to leave my worries and my control at the door. Stepping into that dynamic again, allowing myself to give everything over to a man as capable of taking care of me as Marlow had proven in the past to be capable of, felt so damn right it hurt.
“Aren’t I supposed to be taking care of you?” I mumbled.
He snickered. “Two-way street, hm? I think that’s fair. Plus, this was just my bribe to get you to come home with me.”
“You didn’t need to do all of that.”
“How else was I going to get you to come see me again?”
I turned to look over my shoulder at him, surprised. “You thought I was going to ghost you?”
