It takes a moment to process his request. Did… did Ledger just ask me to strip? No. I definitely misheard him. He wouldn’t ask me to…
I realize Ledger is waiting as his face darkens. Oh, okay, he’s being serious. He wants me to get naked in front of him. My face heats. Getting undressed in front of Ledger has always been a secret fantasy of mine. In those moments, however, it was under different circumstances. Sexier ones, for sure.
Clearing my throat as daintily as possibly, I try to assure him that I’m good. "Ah, no? I don’t think I have any serious wounds right now."
"Don't be difficult, Blair," Ledger growls. "You look like shit and there's blood all over your clothes. I need to check you over. You could still be in shock and unaware of any new injuries."
My face heats in embarrassment. I'm well aware I don't look my best. Running for your life for days on end doesn't really give you much time to freshen up.
“I’llhandle it,” I object, trying to hold my ground.
Our eyes meet for the first time since my arrival and suddenly I'm lost in the woods. Ledger's deep, forest green eyes are familiar and comfortable, despite the fury crackling in them. I know, if I step closer, I'd see flecks of honey-gold and even deeper specks of green.
He's forgone shaving for at least five days, the dark blond scruff covering the lower half of his face evidence of this. Ledger's also grown his hair out a bit. Before, he’d go for a buzz cut. Now his blond hair is shaved on the sides but kept a bit longer on top. Enough so that I could probably run my fingers through it. Some of his blond hair has lost its luster both on his head and in his beard, as it slowly turns gray, but I like the silver coming in. I like ita lot. I also enjoy seeing the crows’ feet around the corners of his eyes.
He’s aging like fine wine, and I want to guzzle him down to appreciate all the notes that make up this forbidden man.
Despite some new changes, his sheer size hasn’t changed. I love how he looms over me. As a child, I used to believe he wasa true giant and thatnothingcould defeat him. I still believe that, especially since he’s filled out a bit. Ledger’s still muscular, there’s absolutely no doubt about that, but there’s a bulk to him now, making him look thicker around the chest and waist.
Damn, he looks better than ever.
Why is life so unfair? Why can’t he look like a haggard mess so that this damn crush can just evaporate already?
“Don’t make me tell you again, Blair.”
I blink, taken aback by his cold tone. “Why are you so mad right now?”
He’s always a bit gruff, but this is different. Ledger is actually pissed off, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.
His scowl intensifies. “You should’ve called me theminuteyou ran into trouble. Do you know how fucking worried Anchor and I have been?”
“Do you think I wanted to be running around half the country?!” I snap, getting defensive.
When his glare doesn’t lessen, I know Ledger isn’t going to give up easily. Swallowing down my annoyance, I try a different approach. “Look, Ledger. I’m sorry but I’m here, okay? I might’ve been out of the game for a bit, but I used everything the two of you taught me to survive, and I made it. You don’t have to be worried anymore. Let me clean up and we can talk afterward, okay?”
Ledger’s jaw tightens and his nostrils flare. After a beat, he takes a step back, toward the door.
“Fine, I’ll be back to take you to your room.”
With that he leaves me to clean up on my own.
Chapter 6
Blair
My shower is quick, despite how pleasant the warmth and hard water pressure are. All I want to do is talk to Dad and get a quick nap in. I step out and grab a clean towel from the small closet. I dry off quickly, then run my fingers through my hair to untangle it. When I’m done, I wrap the towel around my body and step out of the bathroom.
Ledger’s just strolling toward me, down the hallway, as I step out of the bathroom. In his hand is a tray of food. My stomach grumbles eagerly. I eye the items on the tray with interest. There’s a sandwich, a bag of chips, two bottles of water, vitamins, and…
“Are those the Christmas tree cakes that I like?” I ask him, surprised. “Where did you get those this time of year?”
Ledger spares me a half smile, but it doesn’t reach those dark green eyes. That’s when I notice the dark circles beneath them. Has he been pulling long nights? If so, why?
“They started putting them out at the grocery stores the day before I got the text from Anchor.” He grumbles somethingunder his breath before he adds a bit stiffly, “I know how much you love them.”
I will my heart not to flutter. This is just what Ledger does. He’s there when Dad and I need him, and he’s always been thoughtful. It’s hard not to fall for him. I look from the tray up to the man holding it. How much time do I have with Ledger before I have to say goodbye for the last time? Dad always said that if something like this happened, we’d have to leave for good. That means leaving all of this behind, even the man we both care for.
“Thanks, Ledger.”
