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How beautiful her innocence had been. How heartbreaking to see it corrupted. To wonder if I was the one who corrupted it.
The breath in her lungs hitched. “I trusted you.”
I let out a broken sound, firmly grasping her face. “You still can.”
A swift denial flashed in her eyes. I expected it to roll right off her tongue. Instead, all she said was, “You’re freezing.”
I shrugged. “No time to change.”
“You drove over here in nothing but a Speedo.”
I’d have come in less. “You needed me.”
“I didn’t ask for you.”
“I came anyway.” I’ll always come.
She glanced away as if looking at me was suddenly too hard. It deflated my heart.
I’m going to lose her.
“Go put on some clothes.”
“I’m fine the way I am.”
“You’re going to get frostbite.”
“I deserve it.”
She snorted. “Yeah. You do.”
I said nothing.
She took a step back, such a small movement, but it packed a massive punch. “Go change, Ben. I’ll wait.”
I hesitated, not wanting to let her out of my sight. “You won’t run off?”
“Kinda hard to run with crutches.”
That made me wonder… “How’d you get down here?” I asked, glancing at the stairs.
“Max carried me.”
Hot jealousy seared my organs, the heat so fierce a growl of displeasure rumbled in my chest. “Sit down,” I said, hating that he touched her. That I wasn’t here when she needed help. Still, I used gentle hands to guide her to the chair.
“I can do it,” she insisted, denying my help.
I stepped back but hovered close as she seated herself and set aside the crutches. Once settled, she reached for a mug of coffee close by. “Max made me this too.”
My tongue slid over my teeth, jealousy eating away at my insides. “I’m going to change,” I told her, unable to keep the edge from my tone. “If you run off, I’ll chase you down.”
“I won’t run.”
“I’ll chase you down,” I repeated. I meant it. I’d chase this woman to the ends of the earth.
She said nothing, and I quickly jogged up the stairs. The bed was still rumpled, reminding me of everything that had happened between us last night and the way she’d slept in my arms. I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d ever get to have that again. If she regretted the things we’d done.
Shoving away the thoughts, I grabbed the change of clothes I’d left here, a dark-gray pair of sweats and a matching hoodie with a popular sports brand logo repeated all over it. I whipped the swim cap off my head and let it fall where I dropped it, not even bothering to fix my hair. Not wanting to waste another minute, I grabbed some socks and pounded down the stairs.
