Hazel closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Her mother cleaned when she was excited, stressed, or worried, and Hazel feared all those things were true right now. “If we don’t do something fast, she’ll give in and wire him the money, give up all her savings, and not tell us. I know her; she doesn’t handle this type of stress well,” she muttered, clenching her hands. “God, that asshole Billy… I should have been nicer to him in college. Or at least not given him the middle finger when I met him at the supermarket a few years ago. Not spat on his shoes. She looked so tired! Did you notice that?” Worried, she gnawed her lip. “I hate that she can’t sleep! I should have spent more time talking to her yesterday. Or came straight here to calm her down. Ishould have protected her from it! How can it be that I’m grown up and successful and have more money in my bank account than I ever wanted — and yet I still can’t make her life easy, like she made mine? How can it be that…”
She stopped abruptly because Gareth had placed his hands gently on her shoulders and slowly turned her toward him.
Confused, she blinked at him. “What are you doing?”
“Something that’s not in our contract,” he murmured somberly. “Don’t be alarmed.”
“What…” But before she could continue, he pulled her into his arms, one hand firmly on her upper back, the other, warm on the nape of her neck, while his thumb gently stroked her top vertebra.
Hazel was too perplexed to move. “Why are you hugging me?” she whispered, confused.
“Because you’re panicking, and Cian’s living room floor is too far away.”
“What?”
Silently, he tightened his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head, as if he were building a personal Gareth fortress around her, separating her from the outside world. Except she didn’t feel caged, but…safe.
His hug wasn’t too tight, as she’d first thought. It was just right. It didn’t give her too much wiggle room, which her slightly shaky knees would have immediately exploited. It held her upright in case she wanted to literally let herself fall.
Until she was enveloped by his scent, warmth, and muscles.
“Breathe, Hazel. I want to hug you, not suffocate you.”
She let out a surprised gurgle and unclenched her hands. Her shoulders relaxed as she sucked in a deep breath.
He was right. She’d been slightly panicked; she’d felt so helpless and powerless.
“You’re warm for a robot,” she whispered as she hesitantly wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn’t know where else to put them.
“I’m freshly oiled.”
She laughed again. “And I thought the Wizard of Oz had given you a heart, so warm blood would finally flow through your veins.”
“I’ve always had a heart,” he replied softly. “It’s just tiring to use all the time.”
She smiled hesitantly. “I know, Gareth. After all, you’re hugging me even though you’re not contractually obligated, and we can’t have sex in my mother’s driveway.”
His snort made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. “Smartass. I just didn’t know how else to calm you.”
“Oh, this…is quite good,” she replied softly, sinking deeper into his arms. “You could also tell me that everything will be all right, and…”
“Everything will be all right, Hazel,” he whispered, his lips brushing her temple as he spoke. “This isn’t your fault. Kosianos would still be an asshole even if you hadn’t given him the middle finger in the supermarket. He was pissed off that you were smarter than he was back then, and he still is. But it isn’t your problem that some men have a problem with brilliant women whose intellect runs circles around theirs. I forbid you from feeling guilty about anything that asshole does because of it.”
Warmth crept into her chest and her throat tightened. “You think I’m brilliant?”
“I can think you’re annoying and brilliant at the same time, right?”
She smiled against his neck. “Sure. I’m just stunned by your multitasking skills.”
He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “No confidence in my robot skills…”
Her smile widened. “I think you’re brilliant too, you know? Your contracts only annoy me because they’re so damn thorough, and I can’t find any loopholes.”
“Hmm. Interesting. In other areas of life, you like me to be thorough.”
Her chest vibrated with laughter. “Everything has its pros and cons, I guess.”
She felt his nod before he murmured, “I can talk to Billy if you want. Go over there, have a nice chat…”
