Our lunch goes quickly, and once I’ve downed my coffee, I’m hopping up to clean the mess before he even thinks about it. Hardly to my surprise, his eyes follow my movement, but he keeps his mouth closed for the most part.
“After working so much yesterday, you should be the one resting.” His eyes follow as I pass by him. He reaches out in an attempt to catch me, but I avoid him by a hair. “Seriously, relax!”
Calling after me as I slip back into my bedroom, I change for the day. A pair of shorts and a clean shirt goes a long way. While I’m away, I take the time to rub the exhaustion from my eyes. The last thing I need him to do is to start worrying aboutme.
When I return to him, I’m relieved to find him on the couch. He’s already got the remote in his hand, a look of boredom on his face.
Joining him, I settle with a cushion separating us. Then, without looking my way, he pats the cushion with his free hand.
“Not a chance.” Forcing my eyes forward, I cross my arms, hoping to look like I’m putting my foot down.
He hums, considering my choice before he shifts. Scooching in my direction, he’s moving so he’s resting against his back, his head settling right against my lap. My couch isn’t huge, so it’s no surprise that his calves and feet hang off the arm.
“This sucks.” Groaning as he looks up at me, he reaches up to touch my frown. “I’m resting. This counts. Stop being upset.”
What he’s really doing is making everything really hard. I’m trying to be stern here, to be the one who keeps him safe, but he keeps doing what he always does.
When it’s just us, he treats me like we’re… something. It’s no wonder my heart is in the shape that it is.
“You’re trouble.” Mumbling the words, I drag my fingers through his hair. Hearing his little sigh of contempt, he returns his attention to the television and takes his time hunting down a movie we’re both going to despise.
“I could say the same about you.” Murmuring the retort, he settles on a true crime documentary.
Great. My favorite.
4
Warden
By the time I’m hitting day twelve, I’ve reached my limit. Without a phone, the device lost in the mess of everything, there’s only so much I can do around here without going crazy. I can’t take this anymore.
I need fresh air.
Passing by the living room, Leah’s legs hang off the arm of the couch while she flips through a magazine. Stopping by long enough to drag my fingers up to her knee, I feel the goosebumps prickle up immediately.
“Let’s go out and get some ice cream.” Meeting her gaze, I smile in hopes it’ll win her over. “Don’t make me go alone.”
She pauses her reading long enough to stare up at me. “What if…”
My stomach is fine. Seriously. Sure, it hurts if I try to push myself, but that’s not what I’m trying to do here.
Though I’ll admit, all this time trapped with her has left me starving for more than some dessert.
“I’m fine.” Reaching out to cradle her knees, I push them apart and stand between her legs. Seeing her bite her lip, I’m curious to know if this is as hard for her as it is for me.
We’ve gone from seeing each other a couple of nights a week to being together all of the time. It’s easier to hide how I feel when there’s a distance between us.
Offering her my hand, she hesitates before closing her magazine and setting it to the side. Looking at my fingers, she slowly slides her hand into mine. Gasping when I pull her up onto the arm itself, I’m left in amazement as her cheeks flood in color at a record-breaking speed.
“It’s a small stroll. What’s the worst that’ll happen?” Coaxing her into trusting that I’m not going to keel over and die, I wrap her arms around my neck. When she holds on after releasing her, I hum in satisfaction.
It feels like an eternity since we last touched each other. Even if it’s something simple like this, I’m taking whatever I can get.
This woman drives me crazy in every way possible. It’s a miracle I haven’t ripped any stitches from pouncing on her by now.
“I don’t like the thought of you getting hurt.” Mumbling the words we both already know, she strokes the back of my neck and stares up at me with those big gray eyes. “You’re safer here.”
As my smile grows, her pout grows. “If you want to keep me to yourself, that’s all you need to say, you know?”
