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“You don’t have to do that.” And there it is again, that lovely adorable blush in her cheeks. I love it when she goes all red. She looks so sweet she makes my chest ache. “I can get a bus or something. You have done enough.”
I let out a little laugh. “I’m driving that way anyway. It seems silly for you to get a bus when I am here.”
It takes her a couple of minutes, but finally she nods and agrees with me. “Sure, okay, thank you.”
Instantly, I’m relieved. I let out a breath that I didn’t even know I was holding. Even if Callum Jones is surrounded here, I don’t trust him. I wouldn’t be able to relax with the idea of Esme alone on public transport. There is a protective bear deep inside of me which is utterly desperate to be unleashed because of her.
“Let me carry everything for you.” She doesn’t look too weak or anything. “Then once your discharge papers arrive, we can get you in to the car and get you home as quickly as possible. I’m sure you can’t wait.”
“It’s weird, because I’ve pretty much been out of it since I have been here, but I’m still tired. My body is craving my own bed.” She giggles a sweet musical sound which makes my heart sing. “Does that make me sound lazy?”
“Not at all! I’ve heard that you don’t get much sleep in hospitals anyway so I don’t blame you. How about I get you home and tuck you right in to bed… oh, in a totally innocent way. I didn’t mean that to sound as it came out.”
Luckily, she laughs again and we overcome any awkwardness that could have come with that moment. It seems like we aren’t going to get all weird around one another which is great, and if that’s a positive to come from the fire then… well, I can’t ever be glad for it because that isn’t right, but I can see the silver lining.
Wow, Esme really was tired. She barely made it through her front door because she was drifting off to sleep. Although it did feel nice for her to lean in to me, to need me even longer. But now I have her in bed and she’s snoring lightly, so in theory I could go. I don’t have to stand here watching over her like a creeper. I could just… leave.
But there is a tight sensation in my chest and I don’t think that’s just because I want to watch her angelic face as she breathes in and out deeply, finally relaxed because she is at home, in her own environment, with no worries left in the world… although that definitely is a big part of it. No, it’s because I’m still worried about Callum Jones. I have this image of him inside of my head, of him being a mad man, completely unhinged and terrifying. I’m in the middle of a nightmare where he could creep in through the middle of the night and take her away to do… well, whatever he was going to do to Esme inside of that building. I don’t even want to think about it.
“I will sleep here,” I whisper to myself as I grab a blanket off the set of drawers nearby. There is a pillow as well which I can use to form a bed of some kind. “I will sleep here then nothing can happen.”
I have slept in worse conditions and I need to be a light sleeper anyway because of my job, so if anyone does creep in here in the middle of the night, I will be able to take them down. I don’t know what Esme will think of me being here, but I’m sure that she will understand when I explain myself. Hopefully, I will be her hero again. Not a freak.
As I lie down on the floor and I rest my head against the pillow, I try not to think about what everyone else would say about me being here. I would certainly get teased more about being in love from everyone at work because they are obsessed with me finding it again. Natasha would be over the moon for me. As for Jane, well she already thinks that I have someone else but she would have a lot to say. None of it good though. But it doesn’t matter about her opinion anymore thank God, I seem to be fully rid of her forever.
Rid of Jane, potentially falling for Esme, who would have ever thought it? Not me, that’s for sure. There’s a time when I thought that I would be stuck in that pit of misery forever. It just shows what a difference time can make.
Chapter 15 – Esme
“Don’t go.” The words reverberate right the way through my body. I don’t want to listen to them but I’m afraid I don’t have any choice in the matter. “This isn’t over.” I’m cold, ice cold, yet hot all over as well. “We need to discuss our feelings… our love… once this is all over me and you are going to be together. You’ll see…”
