“Caspian?”
“Yes.”
“That felt passive-aggressive.”
I blink into the dark, more awake now.
“What did?”
“The way you said it—that you would never leave me hanging. The tone gave me a feeling of vulnerability.”
“I didn’t mean to give you a feeling of vulnerability. Let’s sleep now.”
A slightly longer pause. I can almost hear his brain whirring.
“Are you sure you weren’t subconsciously highlighting my moral failure?”
I groan into the pillow.
“I wasn’t. I promise.”
“You sound mad.”
“Antonio. It’s three in the morning. I didn’t sleep last night. I’m seeing my sister in the morning. My subconscious is closed for business.”
“But are you mad? You didn’t reply.”
“I’m not mad. But I might be soon.”
“Oh.” He considers this. Then, in a voice so small it makes my heart ache, “I love you.”
He climbs halfway on top of me, sighing like he’s finally home.
“Can I sleep here?”
I wrap my arms around him.
“I love you too. And yes, you can.”
Then, thankfully, he sleeps.
CHAPTER 62 – ANTONIO
I’m dressed and ready to go. In theory. After breakfast I almost accidentally returned to the cocoon of warmth and safety—Caspian’s bed. I feel socomfortable it might be illegal in some countries.
“If you want to stay here, you absolutely can,” he says, watching me with pure, unadulterated adoration.
“No, I want to go,” I claim, wrapping the blanket more snugly around me.
“You can also come with me to the hospital,” he says again. He seems reluctant to leave me to my own devices.
“I don’t want to. I want to see Earl’s bakery and Ann-Sabrina’s shop.”
“Okay,” Caspian says, lifting the blanket off me and ignoring my squeak of protest. “Let’s go then.”
Downstairs, he pulls me into a hug.
“Are you sure you want to spend the morning in the wild?”
