She blinked.
“Yes,” I said again. “That’s what I want.”
She exhaled slowly before smiling. “We can talk about details later. Just… I wanted you to know.”She reached for me again. Touched my face like I was something worth holding. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Just buried my face back into her chest. Before I said something stupid or scared her off.
We sat in silence. Gently started wiping the dried blood off my arm.
“You know. You might want to shower.” She said.
“Yeah,” I muttered. “Not my best look.”
“Not the worst either.” She looked up. “I’ve always liked you messy.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That so?”
She leaned in and kissed my temple. “I missed you too, Vince.”
I winced and dropped my head back against the pillows. “I think I’m dying.”
She arched a brow. “Want me to supervise your shower? Just to make sure you don’t drown or accidentally use body wash on your hair?”
“Absolutely not.” I groaned.
“Alright,” she said, tugging at my arm. “Come on, soldier. Let’s get you sitting upright.”
I let her help me to the edge of the bed with another groan. The floor tilted slightly. I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. “Mm.” She stood in front of me, and then, without warning, gently pulled my head to her stomach.
I let her. Couldn’t have fought her even if I wanted to.
Her hands stroked through my hair. My forehead rested against her ribs, and I hated how much comfort I found in it.
“I like my Crow like this,” she whispered above me. “All needy and wrecked.”
I chuckled low. “Remind me to never let you near me when I’ve been drinking again.”
“You keep saying that,” she murmured, fingers still threading through my hair. “But then you keep saying cute things.”
“Sweetheart, I’m thirty. I don’t saycutethings.”
“You do when you cry over me.”
That sobered me. I looked up slowly, resting my chin against her stomach. “You remember that?”
“I remember all of it.” Her fingers trailed down the back of my neck. “Every word.”
I looked at her. The way her robe was loose, one side slipping, revealing the curve of her shoulder.
She leaned in, her lips brushing my temple. “Come have a shower. I’ll wash your back. Maybe your chest. I’ll even keep the lights low so you can pretend I’m not seeing you at your weakest.”
“I’ll be hard,”
She blinked. “What?”
“I’ll be hard. Real fucking hard. The second you touch me.” I paused. “Might not be appropriate for a nurse.”
She burst out laughing. “You thinkI’mappropriate? I’ve been mentally undressing you since you stumbled into bed last night.”
