By comparison, she’d have a neatlittle scar that’d fade to barely noticeable with enough vitamin E cream.
“Wow.” Maddi stared at himwide eyed, and then tugged her hospital gown out of the way so she could showhim her bandages. “I don’t think mine’s as big as that.”
“Probably not.” I confirmed.“Have I ever shown you mine?”
I knew I hadn’t—I’d been goingout of my waynotto show anyone before I met Gray. Now, though, Iwas more at peace with it. If Gray could love my body the way it was, I could,too.
Maddi shook her head,confirming my suspicions.
“Well, I don’t show this tojustanyone,” I said,shrugging my jacket off. “But I think I can handle showing you. If Gray pullsmy shirt aside for me?”
Gray shrugged, moving tohelp me with the top few buttons so he could pull it far enough out of the way.Stomach tight, I turned my back to Maddi and closed my eyes as Gray’s fingertipsskimmed the back of my neck, then brushed over the line of my scar as he movedthe fabric out of the way.
No matter how well I knewthat Maddi wouldn’t be disgusted, or upset, orrudeabout it, it wasstill a big moment for me.
“Proud of you,” Graymurmured, low enough that I was the only one who’d hear it.
I glanced at him and foundhim smiling the softest, warmest smile, one I knew he reserved for me.
Well, me and baby animalvideos he was watching on his phone. Sharing his affection with baby animalswas fine.
He swooped in and pecked meon the lips, just the barest brush, but enough to make my mouth tingle and thepit of my stomach tighten up all over again, but this time in agoodway.
Neither of us were workingtoday, so I was looking forward to dragging him home to bed once we left here.He deserved a reward for being such an incredible boyfriend.
“Get a room,” Maddi said,and I could hear the eyeroll in her voice without having to look at her.Chuckling, I buttoned my shirt up again as Gray took his hand away, grinningthe brightest, broadest grin I’d ever seen on him at her.
“This is a room,” Graypointed out.
“Adifferentroom,” Maddi said. “You’retoo old to make out in public.”
I watched Gray open and thenclose his mouth, apparently at a loss for a good response to that. Hewasmore than twice Maddi’s age, which from her perspective had to be prettyold.
We were practically ready toretire, as far as she was concerned.
“Miles won’t make out withme in public,” Gray teased. “Because heisold.”
I wouldn’t let Gray makeout with me in public because I hated it when other people did. One peck on thelips was fine, but I couldn’t stand looking at other people shoving theirtongues down each other’s throats when I was just minding my own business.
Gray also didn’t actuallywantto, he was justteasing Maddi. Which I was glad to see. The last thing she needed was peopletreating her like she was fragile.
“I’m younger than you, oldman,” I shot back, moving to sit down beside Maddi. “You’ll wear shorts again,”I promised, even though I hadn’t exactly started going shirtless in publicagain.
I would, now that I hadGray. We both would. I was already planning on taking him away for a filthyweekend and I assumed we’d leave the little seaside cabin I had my eye on onceor twice. A small private beach was the perfect way to start.
What was the point of allthat family money if I didn’t take advantage of it sometimes?
Now that I finally hadsomeone to take advantage of itwith, I planned on enjoying a littlemore of what I had.
Gray sat down beside me, andthe two of us chatted quietly to Maddi until a nurse interrupted an hour or solater. She was starting to look tired by then anyway, so we said our goodbyesand promised to come back again before she got out.
To my surprise, her parentsstepped out of the elevator we’d been waiting for, offering me a small smile anda nod each.
Maybe they’d finallyrealized that she needed more support than she was getting. I hoped so. Iwanted Maddi to be happy. Then all of this would feel like it’d been worth thedrama.
“You were great with her,” Isaid as the elevator doors closed behind us, leaving us alone.
“She’s a good kid.” Grayshrugged. “Ilikekids. Even teenagers who call me old.”
