“Only one I wanted to,” he turned his head as he coughed, “wake up next to the next morning.”
His words clicked.Oh my god.
Matt had slept with women, as in had sex, but he’d never spent the night sleeping beside them.
“I love you, Madi. I think I always have.”
The overwhelming emotion causes unwanted tears to fill my eyes.
Despite my best efforts, I'd fallen in love with Matt. The man I refused to need, but wanted. The man who gave me what I needed, when I didn't know what it was.
Turned out I had two things to tell him.
“I love you.”
His breath whooshed out as joy danced in his bloodshot eyes.
We stared at each other for what felt like seven hours, but was probably only seven seconds before he sat on the edge of my bed, and careful of his left arm and my plethora of injuries, he leaned down and kissed me.
First on my forehead.
“Afraid I’d lost you.”
Second, on my nose.
“Scared me stupid.”
He kissed my lips and words were no longer necessary.
“I tried not to love you.” My raspy declaration was followed by a coughing fit.
He held my cup so I could drink, saying, “I tried not to love you, too.”
“I failed.”
“I failed first.”
We sounded like a field of toads when we laughed.
“Thank you for saving me.”
He disappeared in his head for a second before saying, “Always.”
I reached for his hand. We had a long, hard road to recovery ahead, but I felt better knowing we’d travel it together.
We sat in comfortable silence, the steady beeping rhythm of the machines providing background noise, until an impatient knock on the door ruined the moment.
“Jay.” Matt and I sounded like matching frogs.
“I got it.” Matt walked to the door and let Jay in.
“About damn time,” Jay said, walking past Matt.
The wild look in Jay’s eyes caused a tinge of guilt.
“Jay.” I beckoned him to my side. I forced myself to sit up and held my arms open. “I’m so sorry.”
I watched Matt slip out of the room over Jay’s shoulder.
