I watch while Gabriel sprays some stuff on my arms before dabbing at them with gauze. I’m almost mesmerized by it and question how much pampering I’d get if I got hurt even worse. Why is it that the moment he turns his attention on me, I’m prepared to eat it up? It’s like I’m addicted to it. I’ve never been one who has any interest in alcohol or drugs, but I can understand addiction now that I’ve met Gabriel.
Gabriel finishes cleaning up my arms and then kisses my hands. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”
And I want to tell him that I’m not done being pampered because I want more.
“Did you get hurt anywhere else?” he asks, as if taking note of my dilemma.
“I think my heart got hurt.”
“Yeah?” He pulls the neck of my shirt down and takes a peek. “Oh no… how will that ever recover?” He kisses what he can reach of my chest before looking up at me. “Did that help?”
“Just a little.”
Gabriel lifts my hand and kisses it. “It’s like you went off to war against a giant saber-toothed tiger.”
“I did and the tiger won.”
“Apparently. I’ll kiss away all of your pain and make it up to you,” he says as he slings his arms over my neck. “Can I make you dinner too? Would that help?”
“I already started dinner.”
“I know. I just wanted to sound like I’d actually cook for once,” he teases. “You know you can let me do some stuff occasionally?”
“But I want to pamper you.”
“You’ve pampered me plenty. Can the food sit or did you already start it?”
I lift an eyebrow. “It’s marinating and it can marinate until tomorrow if you so choose.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure can,” I say. Gabriel leans in to kiss me just as his phone begins to ring.
“Ignore it.”
“I would love to but it’s Michaels, and he only calls if it’s important.”
“Probably something about me calling in the hammer earlier,” I say, but Gabriel puts the call on speaker.
SEVENTEEN
Liam
“Hello?”
“Hyde, is Paige with you?”
“I sure am, even though I’ve noticed you no longer call my phone. My phone number didn’t change, did it?” I ask. “I miss hearing your sweet voice interrupt me after hours.”
Michaels ignores me. “I just got an alert that Nadine is missing.”
That stops us both. It’s even enough to stop my sass.
“Missing?” Gabriel asks. “Isn’t she in a coma? How would she just go missing? Do you think she woke up and ran because she was disoriented, or do you think someone took her?”
“We’re trying to figure that out now. They assured me they’re looking into their security feed to see what they can find out.”
Still on the phone, we hurry out the door and into the car before I tear out of the driveway. “Do they already have the hospital on lockdown?” I ask Michaels.
