I did owe Lauren, and I hated to be in someone’s debt.
She hadn’t needed to stay here and take care of me.
She could have just dropped the things Millie had given her and hightailed it back to Crystal Fork. She probably could have gotten home before the storm had gotten bad.
I would have lived through the high fever, but I probably would have been miserable for a lot longer had she not kept me hydrated and shoved pills down my throat.
I didn’t exactly feel fantastic, but my head was together again, and I was ambulatory and moving around thanks to her.
Hell, most people in Crystal Fork wouldn’t have even ventured onto my property because they thought I was a murderer, much less spent time here to help me.
The fact that Lauren had absolutely zero fear of me intrigued the hell out of me.
Her eyes had widened and she finally snorted. “You’re joking, right? I’m plain, boring, and just a little bit too plump. I haven’t turned a single male head since I moved back to Crystal Fork. I’m pretty much invisible. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely down on myself. I’m smart, and I think I’m a good person, but I suck at any kind of romantic relationship. I always have. I’m a complete geek. Men just don’t…find me attractive.”
Holy fuck!Did she really believe that bullshit?
I watched her pedal for a moment.
She didn’t meet my gaze, and she looked like she was embarrassed because she’d said anything.
Apparently, shedidbelieve exactly what she’d said.
“Men find you attractive,” I told her. “But you have a genius IQ, you’re beautiful, you’re highly educated, and you’re successful. Most guys probably find that pretty intimidating.”
I could guarantee that every single guy in Crystal Fork had noticed her.
They’d probably just been afraid to approach her.
She shook her head. “I don’t think I’m unapproachable. I’m a geek, but it’s not like I don’t have perfectly normal conversations. I apply most of my intelligence to my job. I have the same emotions, concerns, and fears that other people do.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said in a rough voice before I started coughing. I finally swallowed and finished my comment. “You’re still intimidating.”
Her eyes locked on my face with genuine concern. “You’re still sick. Maybe you should go rest for a while. You really shouldn’t be up and around yet.”
I grimaced.
She was an interesting woman.
The moment I’d started to cough, her entire focus had been about my health instead of our previous conversation.
I ignored her suggestion. “Is that what you really want? You want a boyfriend?”
She shrugged. “Just once, I’d like to have a guy who actually sees me. I don’t think it’s going to happen, but I’d like to see what that feels like for once in my life. Someday, I’d like to have a partner. I’m in my thirties and I’d also like to have a child someday. If the boyfriend and husband thing doesn’t happen for me, I’ll probably try to adopt. There are a lot of kids out there who need a stable home.”
Christ!She said that like it was almost a done deal.
For some reason, I hated that.
I hated the fact that she didn’t think she was attractive or interesting enough to find a boyfriend and a life partner.
I hated every man who had never seen her or made her feel like she was beautiful and special.
I suddenly realized that I actuallylikedLauren, and I could count the people I liked on one hand.
I wanted to reciprocate her kindness to me, but I had no fucking idea how to do that.
I wanted her to know that she was hot as fuck and that there was nothing wrong withher.
