“Are you okay?” she asked.
He looked at Reese. “Areyou?”
Reese sat up slowly and shook his head as if to clear it, wincing as he shifted his weight.
David felt another tear escape. God, he was such a fucking mess.
“I’m okay,” Reese said at last.
David didn’t believe him.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, voice hoarse.
Reese shook his head. “I’m fine
The nightstand loomed over Reese’s shoulder. David gulped. “Jesus. You could have hit your head.” David could see it. The blood.
“But I didn’t,” Reese said firmly. He rolled onto his knees, crawling toward them.
David fought the urge to back away, to hide, and gave in to the equally powerful need to draw them closer. He tucked Mati under his chin, and Reese wrapped his arms around them, pulling David against his chest.
David leaned into Reese and buried his face in Mati’s hair, sucking in a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Reese said.
Thatwas utter bullshit. “I could have hurt you.”
Reese’s hand smoothed down his spine and back up again. Over and over. “But you didn’t.”
“Yeah. By sheer luck.”
“Maybe it was my cat-like reflexes,” Reese said.
Mati snorted. David fought a smile. This wasn’t funny.
David wondered what was wrong with him that he resented how Reese’s humor made him feel better. He imagined the look his therapist would give him at that admission and sighed.
Yeah, okay, let it go.
Reese squeezed them tighter before easing back. “Why don’t we get back into the bed?” he suggested.
David sighed. “I should sleep on the couch.”
“No,” Mati and Reese said in unison.
“That’s not necessary,” Mati added. “We want you with us.”
Reese pressed a kiss to his temple. “And you should sleep in your own bed. You need to rest.”
David laughed bitterly. “I need to call Chance and tell him I can’t protect you properly.” He felt sick saying it. The idea of them leaving made him dizzy.
Which was stupid, sincethey were still Canadianand bound to go home eventually.
“I will throw every single phone in this house into the garbage disposal if you try,” Reese said.
The smile he was fighting almost crept to the surface again.
Mati leaned back and studied David. “Do you not want us here anymore?”
