He frowns, a crease forming between his brows. “Did you take Advil yet?”
I shake my head, feeling the familiar swell of panic beneath my ribs. My fingers start to tingle because all I can think about is the stupid speech on Tuesday. Is getting up in front of the class and looking like a freaking horror show. I only have three days left for it to heal.
Wes’s hands move over my shoulders, down my upper arms, and back up again. It feels nice. Really nice. But it’s not enough to distract me. “You should ice it again.”
“Alright,” I murmur, my mind still spinning.
“Hey,” Wes says. I look up at him. “This doesn’t change anything about the speech. We’re still going to practice our asses off, and you’re still going to fucking crush it.” Having just emerged from the shower, he smells amazing, and my body sways forward a little, gravitating toward his scent. He looks amazing, too, in a navy long-sleeve shirt and dark-wash jeans. Whereas I look homeless, still dressed in his oversized clothes.
I sigh and step out of his hold. “I should go back to my apartment. I don’t even have my books. Or anything to wear. Or my keys. I’ll have to text Quinn.”
“We can run over and get them.”
I blink in surprise. “We?”
He quirks a dark brow. “Yes,we.What kind of doctor would I be if I let my only patient walk a mile home in twenty-degree weather with a swollen eye? And don’t get me started on your outfit,” he teases, glancing down at my mismatched socks and baggy sweat shorts. “No one can see you in public like that. It’s a malpractice suit waiting to happen.”
I almost crack a smile. Almost.
“We’ll drive over, and you can shower and grab your stuff. Then we’ll come back here and practice our speeches, like we originally planned.”
“You know, they say there’s going to be a storm tonight.”
He shrugs. “If it gets bad you can stay over again, or I can take you home early. It’s not supposed to hit until late.”
I study his face, waiting for him to change his mind. Waiting for him to realize that he’s tired of taking care of me and would rather spend the day with Kaden or Ben or, hell, one of those girls in his phone.
“Why-” I start, but snap my lips shut, deciding that maybe it’s not a good idea to put those thoughts in his head after all.
“Why what?” he presses, but I still say nothing. “Come on, you can ask me anything.”
“Why aren’t you sick of me yet?” I blurt, then snap my mouth shut.
His brows shoot up, an amused smile playing at his lips. “Areyousick ofme?”
I would roll my eyes at the ridiculous notion if it didn’t hurt so much. “I mean, no. Of course not. But you’re you.”
“And you’reyou.” I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. When I close it again, he gives me a knowing look. “Let me grab more coffee, you take your drugs, and we’ll get this show on the road.”
“Are you sure you need the coffee?” I mumble. He just laughs.
When we pull into the parking lot of my dorm, I shoot off a text to Quinn. She already has the door open when we reach the apartment, and she sucks in a sharp breath as she takes in my face.
“Holyshit!” Her eyes flick over my shoulder, and I glance back to find Wes shaking his head. He shoots me an innocent smile when he realizes I’ve caught him, and I look back at Quinn, who quickly backtracks. “I mean, it’s not that bad, Ivy. I could hardly tell when you were, you know, thirty feet away.”
“Wonderful,” I mutter.
“But I am going to strangle that bitch’s neck next time I see her. Big Guy, we should team up. You hold her down, and I’ll fuck up her face. I took a kickboxing class once in high school.”
“Works for me,” Wes says with a shrug.
I release an exasperated sigh. “No one’s fucking up anyone’s face. Let’s just…forget it happened. Please.”
Quinn blinks and says, “Sure, sure,” but I don’t miss the loaded look she exchanges with Wes. “Just so you know, the place isn’t, uh, usually like this.” Stepping aside, she allows us room to enter the apartment. “You didn’t tell me the superstar was coming,” she mutters to me. “I could have cleaned up a bit.”
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “Are Ava and Kinsley…”
“Sleeping. I doubt they’ll come out.”
