“Asher sends his well wishes. He’d like to come by in a few weeks to hang out if you are up to it.” I shifted back enough on the couch to be a little more comfortable. “He also sent Collin over with some cookies. Peanut butter ones this time. He seems to be doing well with Scarlett.”
Sir came back with two cookies and a bottle of water. “I have dinner in the oven already. A casserole from Alex. She had put it in the fridge this morning before we got back home.”
I took one of the cookies from Sir before he sat down. Once he was sitting, I moved over a bit too quickly and pressed up against his side. A surprised cry of pain passed my lips before I could stop it.
“I’m not going anywhere, boy. I promise.” His arm wrapped around my shoulders as he spoke the words. “I’ll leave a note or something for you next time.”
I sniffed, nodding against him.
I was being stupid. I would be fine. I knew I didn’t need to see Sir every waking moment.
“You’ve been through a lot. It’s okay to need to lean on me a bit more than what you’re used to.” He must be able to read my mind. “I just can’t lay in bed for hours. But I’m also not the one healing from way too much. And in more than one way.”
Not knowing what to say, I took a small bite of the cookie. Although it was good, and probably on any other day, I’d have enjoyed it better, today wasnot that day. The pieces scratched against my still-swollen throat. So, I held it out to Sir to take.
“Not a fan?”
“I like it.” I had to take a drink of the water before I could finish speaking. “Hurts.” Okay, only one word would come out, but it was enough for Sir.
“Okay.” He pressed a kiss to my head, setting both cookies off to the side. “Other than ice cream, what soft foods do you like?”
“Ice cream?” Couldn’t that be enough? It was the one thing I never got to have in my house growing up.
At my answer, Sir chuckled. “That wasn’t what I wanted for an answer, and you know it.” He wasn’t upset, though. “What about pudding?”
“Eh.” It wasn’t ice cream. But it was something I could do. “No chocolate.”
“Butterscotch?”
I nodded. That one was one of the best flavors.
“Yogurt?”
“Some of them.” It was close to ice cream, so that I could eat more of it.
Sir asked me a few more questions, and surprisingly, I answered with what I wanted, not what I thought he wanted. He never once got mad at me for saying if I didn’t like a particular type. He never pressed the issue, either. And when my voice gave out, Sir only asked yes or no answers as we ate dinner.
Only then did he give me a pill, and I happily took it. I didn’t want to deal with the pain anymore for the day.
Chapter 36
Allister
I knew the exact moment the pill started to take effect. Even with Dakota leaning against me after eating a good serving of chicken and noodle casserole, his body was tight with pain and probably anxiety. But as the pill kicked in, his body relaxed against my side.
Somehow, I got him to lay on top of me, our legs entwined mostly. I didn’t want to admit that I wanted every inch of his skin touching mine. It helped to soothe my own growing need to take care of him.
I still felt horrible about him panicking over being unable to find me. I hadn’t expected him to wake up and freak out. Heck, I didn’t even think he’d wake up in the few minutes it took me to start some laundry and throw a dish into the oven.
I never wanted to see the boy panicking like that again. His tears were bad enough, as it were.
I wanted his smiles; his laughter. I wanted to see Dakota happy and content.
I’d do anything to get that, too. I’d be here right by his side until he felt safe and secure to find that part of himself. Time was on our side for once.
So, as some random movie played on the TV that I wasn’t paying any mind to, we just laid there. One of my hands ran up and down Dakota’s naked back and one of his hands played with the light dusting of hair across my chest.
I would have thought he had possibly fallen back asleep. Lord knows he needed all the rest he could get and then some. But his deep breath told me otherwise. He was thinking way too hard about something that would likely turn out to be nothing more than a few words to soothe his worries.
