At least, I think I would have.
He sucked in a deep breath and winced. “I know.” He released my hand and reached for my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I was afraid if you knew, you’d accidentally give us away and they’d kill us both before our rescuers came.”
He was right. I wasn’t trained like him and Ryan. Fear would’ve caused me to slip up and say something stupid.
One thing I’d learned from the police procedurals my grandmother loved—the ones I’d never enjoy watching again—was that maintaining the element of surprise was the key to success.
If I’d slipped up and warned them, the guys who’d kidnapped us would’ve set a trap and killed everyone.
“Can they take it out?”
“Yes. I’ll ask Gibson to reach out to Rogers and arrange it.”
Rogers was the guy who saved us. His was the only name I remembered.I never say his face. Paint covered it when he helped me after his guys untied me.
“Will it hurt?”
“It’ll probably pinch a little.”
“This is surreal. It’s like I’m in one of those movies where the main character goes into a coma and has all these crazy things happen, but none of it’s real. Will I wake up and be boring Nina again?”
“You’re not boring, Cherry, you never were.”
I was. I was just a boring college student who worked in a coffee shop and lived with her grandmother.
“You’re an ambitious woman who’s working her ass off to make something of her life while taking care of her grandmother. You’re not boring,” he brushed his thumb along my chin, “you are remarkable.”
Now my eyes were leaking for a different reason.
“Nina, I know I’m a tough guy to deal with.”
“You’re not.”
“I can be.” He laughed. “Bryce calls me a robot.”
“Okay, you seemed a little emotionless in the beginning, but since then you’ve taken care me.”
Chapter 66
Austin
Could I go there? Would I go there?
“That’s because I’ve fallen for you.”
I went there. I admitted my feelings.
Now I wait.
The rhythm of my EKG shifted. The beeps came faster and faster the longer it took her to respond.
Shit, I probably freaked her out.Who throws a love confession at a woman who’s just been through hell and back?
“I’m sorry, it was inappropriate for me to say anything.” I tried to pull my hand away from hers, thinking I’d forfeited the right to comfort her.
She refused to release me.
“Austin. I…” Nina turned to face me. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she said the sweetest words I’d ever heard. “I fell for you too, but I didn’t think you’d be interested in someone like me.”
