He wondered if she knew.
Oh, and there were two different colored socks on her feet.
“What do you need, North?” she asked tiredly.
“You’re late for breakfast.”
“Right . . . right . . . I think I might skip?—”
“You’re coming to breakfast.”
Red filled her cheeks. Anger? Good. Anger he could deal with. It was when she was upset or sad that he couldn’t handle it.
“And if I refuse?” she asked.
“Then I’ll pick you up and carry you downstairs.”
“Don’t I get a say in anything around here?”
North eyed her for a long moment. “Not much, no.”
She threw her hands up into the air. “Fine. Let’s go.”
As they headed out the door and down the hallway to the stairs, she kept shooting him strange looks.
“What is it?”
“Um, nothing. Just wondering if you . . . do you . . . how do you feel about everything that’s happened?”
“That’s happened?” he asked.
“B-between us.”
“I feel like I always do,” he replied.
“Oh, right, of course.” She moved down the stairs, but he reached out and placed an arm over her stomach.
“Stop.”
She turned to stare up at him. “What is it?”
“Take my hand down the stairs.” He held out his hand.
“I don’t need any help.”
North just stared down at her. “It wasn’t a question or a request.”
For a moment she appeared like she might argue. Then she nodded and slid her hand into his. This wasn’t something he was used to. He couldn’t remember ever holding someone’s hand like this. But he kept hold of it as he helped her down the stairs.
“Why are you holding my hand?” she asked.
He really had no idea.
“You’re clumsy.”
“No, I’m not!” she said.
“Jared said you fell out of bed this morning.”
