“Can’t… Can’t stop…” Nick bit his lip, hard enough to leave a mark.
Logan tucked the blanket around his hips, making sure every inch of him was covered and secure.
He clutched Logan’s hand, his knuckles white, his eyes huge.
Logan lay there and held his.
* * * *
He didn’t sleep much. Didn’t try. It was enough to watch Nick breathe, to watch the tension fade from his body.
Every so often, Nick would jolt awake, his eyes darting like he expected the world to turn on him. Every time, Logan was right there, stroking his hand or rubbing circles into his back. It settled Nick every single time.
Morning found sunlight making a joke of Logan’s blackout curtains. Nick lay tangled in the sheets, his lips parted, lost in a real dream for once.
Logan watched, drinking in every detail. He’d fought and bled plenty in his life, but nothing had ever made him as scared as seeing Nick collapse. He would’ve ripped out his own throat if it would have helped.
Nick twisted suddenly, wakefulness rolling through his limbs. He shot up fast, like a guy expecting bad news.
For a second, panic clawed up his face, and then something clicked. He caught Logan’s scent, his nose twitching as he sucked it in.
Breath eased down into Nick’s lungs. He blinked, slow and confused, like the room had been rearranged during the night.
Logan leaned forward, his voice soft. “You with me?”
Nick nodded, his eyes locked on Logan’s as if nothing else existed. For a second, all the fear drained away. Nick looked lost, not scared, just…newly born.
He shifted on the bed, hands flying to his belly, and then he blanched when he made contact. “No.” The word came out like he’d been punched. “No, no, no…”
Nick tried to scoot back, but Logan kept a hand on his calf, anchoring him to the mattress.
“Don’t freak out,” Logan said. “You’re okay.”
Nick wasn’t buying it. He stared down at himself, his hands braced on his middle, like he expected to see an alien bust out.
“This is a nightmare,” he muttered. “I wasn’t kidding last night. There is no fucking way this is happening.”
“You fainted so you didn’t hear everything. The doctor said it’s normal.”
Nick laughed, high and brittle. “You hear yourself? Normal?”
Chapter Nine
Nick made a face against the pillow. “You realize you sound like a fake human bodyguard commercial, right?”
Logan snorted, folding himself further into the mattress. “I’m unionized. Good benefits. Never call in sick.”
Nick’s eyes cracked open. Hard to call it romantic, but there was something good about the way Logan stayed close, all hair and muscle, like he was expecting Nick to explode or bite him or both. Nick grinned, more honest than he’d meant. “Your bedside manner sucks.”
Logan didn’t look bothered. He rolled onto his side, propping his head on his hand. “You complaining?”
Nick surveyed the blanket situation. From the hips down, he was covered. Above that, he might as well have been an exhibit labeled “Disheveled Disaster: Vampire Edition.” His cheeks flushed. He yanked the sheet higher. “Did you watch me sleep all night?”
Logan’s mouth curved, making it look like he was fighting not to laugh. “Wanted to make sure you didn’t run for the hills. Or start redecorating my throat, if that urge came back.”
Nick rolled his eyes. “Maybe I just like waking up to you staring at me like you lost the remote.”
Logan let that settle for a beat. Then he said, “You drool. A lot.”
