She shrugs, reaching for another nugget. “I told myself I wouldn’t be here long, so I refuse to decorate it.”
Oh, well, I like the sound of that. That’s a plan that I can get on board with.
“How long has it been now?”
She won’t look at me. “Five years.”
Fuck. That’s not the answer I was hoping for. Five years feels like it can easily drift into ten.
I keep forgetting how hard this has all been for her. How each day is a struggle, with people constantly needing things from her. Patients, her sisters… Her fake boyfriend. She’s never had an easy ride, has she?
“You’ll get out of here,” I say quietly, nodding when she finally meets my eyes. “I know you will.”
She forces a smile. “Me too.”
After she’s done her meal, I help her to the bathroom. She tries to take off her makeup, but ends up smudging it allaround her face more than she actually washes it off, so I sit her on the toilet and take that gross piece of fabric she was using and wipe her face for her. She stares up at me with those sweet brown eyes as I gently scrub her skin, watching me like I’m a snake about to attack.
Being the best fake boyfriend in her roster (and the hottest), I tuck her into her bed, smiling when she nuzzles into her pillows like it’s a five-star hotel. I almost choke on air when she pulls a stuffed skunk out from under the blankets and holds it tightly to her chest.
“What thefuckis that?” I bark out.
Her bloodshot eyes snap open. When she sees what my eyes are glued to, she pulls the stuffed animal closer to her and glowers at me. “It’s Stinky.”
“Stinky?” I cock a brow.
She dips her chin, eyes turning so cold that I almost flinch away from her. “Don’t make fun of Stinky, Carter. I will kill you.”
I huff a laugh. “I wouldn’t dare. Is Stinky a special skunk?”
She nods, burying her nose into its fur. “It was the last thing my mom bought me before she died.”
My heart sinks.
Fuck.
No making fun of Stinky. Got it. Anyone who does will end up in the morgue. I promise.
“Well then, I love Stinky,” I murmur, and I crouch next to her bed, leaning forward to press my lips to Stinky’s head. Her eyes go wide, a drunken smile taking over her whole face. “Goodnight, Red. Goodnight, Stinky.”
“His full name is Stinkerton the Third,” she tells me, like that is something I absolutely need to know if I’ve just kissed him.
I bark out a shocked laugh, but then she sinks even deeperinto the pillows and blinks up at me, eyes truly soft for the first time since I met her.
“Yeah, I’m never going to call him that.”
“You really hate calling people by the right name, don’t you?” she mumbles, eyes drifting shut.
“Nah, I just like how fired up you get when I do it to you.”
A small smile tugs at her mouth before she lets out a long breath, pulling Stinky close and forcing her eyes open. “I feel safe with you, Carter.”
I blink, stunned by the admission. My stomach flips a bit at those words, and I don’t like that it does. This is a game. It’s an agreement. I need to keep us both on track here. I don’t want to hurt her and I sure as hell don’t want to get my heart ripped out, either.
Still, hearing her say something so deeply vulnerable gives me an immense amount of pride.
I give a woman who has not known a moment of peace since she was a girl some sense of security. That’s a win I’ll gladly stand on the podium for. Proudly. Give me the gold fucking medal. Right now.
I angle my head, reaching up to push her hair back.
