Page 120 of Wrecked

Adam is looking at me with a mask of confusion. He brushes a stray hair behind my ear and thumbs my cheek again. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“I practically kicked her out on the street. She had nowhere to turn but getting high.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” he says, pulling my forehead in toward his. “I don’t ever want to hear you blame yourself again. We’re a team—you and me. We won’t be able to save them all, but we’re gonna try our hardest, and today, a dealer is off the streets, and an addict is getting the treatment she needs.”

I nod and sniffle. I must hit his incision because he hisses through his teeth. His eyes close, and he breathes through the pain.

“I’m sorry.” I try to lean back, but he’s pulling me back toward him.

When the pain subsides, he grabs my hand and kisses my palm. “I don’t care if I’m screaming in pain. I don’t want you anywhere, except right here by my side.”

He pulls me in for a kiss, and my hands rise up to cup his face. This gorgeous face that I spent so long pretending like it wasn’t the one face I wanted to kiss for eternity.

I love this man. Not just because he wants me with him when he’s in agony. Not even because he saved my life and especially not because he concocted a ridiculous scheme to get us to spend time together, which almost cost him a job and me a friendship. I love him because, whether I want to admit it or not, he is my partner. Offense, defense, no matter the position, Adam is right; we’re a team.

He lets go of me to push himself up to scoot over on the bed and turn slightly onto his side. He’s made enough room for me to lie down next to him.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

He pats the bedsheet and lifts an arm, willing me into the nook of his arm. I curl my body in, careful not to go near his bandage, and lay my head onto his chest.

His fingers run up and down my arm as his head rests on top of mine. With a deep exhale, he relaxes into me. The cocoon he’s created for me is lulling me to sleep.

I listen to his steady heartbeat in his chest. The rhythm is a peaceful song against the beeping machine next to us.

“My little criminal,” he sighs.

“My corrupted probation officer.” My voice is laced with sleepiness.

“You’re never gonna let me live that down.”

“You wouldn’t want it any other way.”

chapter TWENTY-EIGHT

“How’s your head? Do you need an ice pack? I have your pain meds if you need them.”

My mom has been all over me since I came home from the hospital. As predicted, she’s knitting me a blanket and Dad has a freezer full of casseroles and pies. He even read to me by my bed when I couldn’t sleep last night.

I give my mom a hug. “You worry too much. Besides, if I get better too soon, I won’t have an excuse to go back to the hospital and drool all over the handsome doctors.”

She gives me a gentle pat on the arm. “Oh, behave.”

I walk a tray of snickerdoodles over to the oven and put them on the lower shelf. Luke walks into the kitchen, and if I were still holding on to the tray, I would have dropped the cookies everywhere.

I cover my eyes with my hands and fall back into the countertop. “What are you wearing?” My words are a dramatic shriek.

I peek between fingers and see Luke standing in the middle of the kitchen with his hands on his hips and a cocky grin on his face. He’s not wearing a shirt or pants, just a tight red Speedo covering his boy junk.

“I’m trying to make Parker as uncomfortable as possible,” he says, putting a foot on the countertop, making his legs spread way too wide for his sister to see.

“You have succeeded in grossing me out, so Parker will for sure think you are the vilest thing ever.”

Luke’s grin widens. “Good. Will you oil me down?”

“Ew.” I push him away with my foot.

He now stands with both feet on the floor and I remove my hands to look at him further.