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“Is that really necessary?” Like, legally necessary? Constitutional-rights necessary? Geneva Convention necessary?
“Is that really necessary?” Like, legally necessary? Constitutional-rights necessary? Geneva Convention necessary?
“You just earned yourself a full workup and an overnight stay for observation.” His jaw hardened. “With me.”
The moment you care is the moment you fail.
“Your heart stopped.” And mine nearly stopped with it.
“I’m Eli. Is Tessa okay?” Eli. In all my years of knowing the Kincaids, I’d never heard of an Eli. Sounded like a name for a goddamned snake, if you asked me.
My own hands twitched, remembering how she used to fall asleep during movie nights, her head on my shoulder, and I used to sweep her fallen hairs back into place.
Now, with absolute crushing, heartbreaking clarity, I stood on the outside of her snow globe, watching this stranger occupy the space I’d willingly abandoned.
The right emotions were to be nothing but grateful and kind to him, but my heart disagreed. It kept a record of every slight, every silence, every moment I’d waited for him to remember I existed.
Then, just like he did two years ago, he did what he did best. He left.
You deserved better than my silence. After a thorough self-examination, I’ve diagnosed myself with Acute Chronic Jerkitis. Recommended treatment plan: Extensive groveling, followed by a lifetime of making it up to you.
Would he ever open up to me? It was a stupid question really, one my heart shouldn’t be wondering right now.
I can’t even breathe right until I know what’s been happening to you.”
Evidently, she was adorable when loopy,
“If you think that lessens his punishment, you’re wrong. His fate was sealed the moment he touched you.”
“I don’t want you to see me as damaged goods.”
“Listen carefully.” I cradled her face. “Nothing, nothing, could make me think less of you.” When she pressed her forehead to my chest, I kissed her crown, breathing in the scent of her.
“Pick me up.” “Why?” “To make sure you don’t murder the guy. You do that, you’re definitely screwed.” Unless they never find the body.
“So, let me take over now. Let me shoulder this burden for a while. Let this become my fight.”
“My shift ended, and you didn’t have a car at the hospital. End of discussion.” “Oh, is it the end?” He glared at me. I forced my voice to lose its bite. Not easy, considering the argument we’d gotten into over said ride situation. I called an Uber. He canceled it. I flagged down a taxi. He waved him off.
“Why do you keep checking your phone?” Blake asked. “I’m googling how to escape overprotective men in moving vehicles. The results are concerning.”
Irony was a wicked witch with a possible vendetta against me. Thirty-three-year-old woman, who hasn’t even come close to finding her soulmate herself, plans everyone else’s happily ever after. I should put that on my business cards. Maybe add some tearstains for authenticity.
“When someone suggests they add another twenty grand to your already-bankrupt-inducing bill, the choice isn’t difficult.”
“The day we stopped talking.” His voice softened. “I made two promises to myself: I’d respect your space, and I’d always know where to find you if you needed me.
His lips twitched as he took in my shower curtain, covered in cartoon cats wearing tiaras. “Nice decor.” “Judge all you want. Princess cats bring me joy.”
I appreciate—” “The CPR? The lifesaving? The literary criticism?”
My feelings for Tessa were not brotherly at all. I knew now, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was falling for Tessa.
I would not let this go. Whatever was destroying Tessa’s body, whatever had slipped past every test and specialist, I would find it. Even if it cost me everything.
“Stop telling yourself that your suffering needs to be justified by someone else’s pain.”
Dear Diary. You know how I’ve had a massive crush on Blake Morrison since basically forever? Today, I talked about the color of my vomit with him. #RelationshipGoals
“Please.” Something flickered across his face. “I saw how he looked at you, Cupcake. And I didn’t like it.”
“Fine. But I’m at least doing the dishes.” “Touch my dishwasher, and I’m changing all the passwords in this place to components of the periodic table. Now, can we get on with this tour, or do you need to list more chores I won’t let you do?”
“Your ex-boyfriend, or any current or future boyfriend, is not welcome here.” Okaaaaay … “Why?” “Because I’ll be tempted to shove his face into my fireplace.”
“Blake, this is too much.” “Nothing is too much for you, Tessa.”
“It tastes like candy, and I don’t like to swallow.” The words hung in the air for one mortifying second before a smirk played across his annoyingly perfect jawline. He approached slowly, like a predator who knew exactly how distracting his presence was. “Learn to swallow,” he murmured.
And then he did the most unexpected thing: he kissed the top of my forehead.
“So, you can swallow?” My entire face burst into flames, inciting a ridiculously sexy smirk from him.
“I’m afraid you’ll need to get used to it if you stay here; Dr. Morrison frequently wears no shirts.” Well, that should have been disclosed before I’d moved in here. Hello, you big distraction.
But mostly, it scared me that my heart dangerously, recklessly dared to hope I could somehow be worthy of her. As if someone could surgically remove the darkness that lived in my bones.
My throat tightened. “Cupcake,” I murmured, “I’d hold you every moment of every day if it meant you felt safe.”
It was better this way. To leave the same way he’d left me this morning.
“That room?” Blake’s jaw clenched. “That room isn’t evidence that I don’t care about you, Tessa. It’s proof that I’m terrified of losing you.”
“I care so much that it fucking scares me. Do you want to know the biggest reason I pushed you away? Because everyone I’ve ever loved has left me, and the thought of you leaving …” His voice broke. “I couldn’t survive that. Not you.”
“That wall? That’s me trying desperately to keep you safe. Every time I hear about you suffering, it feels like someone’s ripping my heart out.
“It means I love you, Tessa. I have always loved you, no matter how hard I fought it. I will always love you.”
“I’m too busy getting everything I ever wanted, Tessa.” He flattened his tongue and licked a long, slow stride up my folds, making me jerk.
“I’ve loved you for a long time, Cupcake.”
“You’re not going to lose me, Cupcake,” Blake assured me, his lips curving into that devastating smirk. “Unless it’s to murder. When your brother finds out about us, he’s going to kill me.
“I have a plan. It’s called moving to Argentina. How do you feel about mastering Spanish?” “Be serious.” “I am, mi amor.”
But if Ryker asks, you seduced me. With that lip-biting thing, I was helpless.”
