Page 11 of George’s Big Day

“So they never warmed to Baylor.” It was a statement. I wasn’t asking a question because I already knew the answer.

“They—no. No, they did not.”

“Which is why he didn’t want them outside with the two of you.”

“Probably.”

“Or maybe,” I said as he stepped in close to me, hands on my hips, “he didn’t want the dogs out there with you for some other reason.”

“There was no nefarious intent,” he said, really looking at my face. “You know, you have bags under your eyes that look like bruises, they’re so dark.”

“Maybe there was flirtatious intent.”

“Stop,” he ordered, far more interested in me than talking about Baylor Donovan.

“He hit on you, didn’t he?”

“Not really,” he stated, which was an absurd thing to say because he either had or hadn’t made a pass at my fiancé. Not really made no sense.

“Care to elaborate?”

“No.”

“No?”

“Love, it doesn’t even merit a discussion.”

Normally, I would have been incensed that a man had come to my own house to hit on my fiancé, but there was no doubt in my mind that Kurt was treating this like nothing because to him, that’s how insignificant it was. I had all his attention and concern.

“That’s really fuckin’ rude of him, wouldn’t you say?”

“God, why are you even up? You should be upstairs, comatose.” His face crumpled as he looked at me. “I knew I should have canceled this whole thing.”

“No,” I murmured, letting my crutch go and grabbing him tight with my right arm, crushing him against me, liking the sharp gasp I got as I showed him the strength in my body. “I want you to keep all your friends. I don’t want to isolate you in any way.”

“You don’t. You wouldn’t,” he said with a sigh, carefully wrapping his arms around me, both of us enjoying the closeness.

“I’m not going to break.”

“Yes, but when you were in the shower, I saw all the damage…”

“I was cleared to come home,” I reminded him. “Which means you can hold me as tight as you want.”

“I worry about hurting you.”

“Only way you hurt me is by not showing me that I was missed.”

His exhale was long. “You’re always missed.”

“I dunno, maybe you were thinking Baylor would be easier to have around.”

“Honestly, that’s beneath you,” he said flatly.

“Oh, is it?”

“Yes, and you’re insane, and you’re lucky I’m into that.”

I grunted.