Page 50 of Miss Typed

“I should go.” I moved to walk inside, hoping to put the humiliating moment in my rearview mirror.

“Do you like cheeseburgers?”

“What?” I turned to face her, caught off guard by her question.

“More specifically, are you hungry for McDonald’s cheeseburgers?”

My stomach practically growled out loud at the thought of any food. “Yeah. I could eat.”

Chapter Twenty

Chloe

My heart broke at Aiden’s admission while my head spun. This was a perspective I hadn’t once considered. The only way I knew to save him from his obvious embarrassment was to deflect entirely with a gigantic change in subject.

“Good. Come upstairs because I have extra cheeseburgers. I’m afraid I have no more fries as those were scarfed on the walk over, but we both know those aren’t good past the first ten minutes anyhow.”

My words garnered a ghost of a smile. He looked exhausted, something I’d noticed when I’d first spotted him getting out of the SUV.

“Come on. We’ll eat and, well, just eat for now,” I suggested. The man didn’t appear up for talking, and I was done arguing. We would try a new tactic. After cheeseburgers.

He took my offered hand and followed me into the elevator and up to my floor. His limp was more pronounced than usual, making me wonder if his leg was hurting him. But he didn’t want my sympathy. I knew him well enough to realize pity would ensure he’d flip a switch and walk away.

As soon as we entered the room, I murmured, “Take a seat.”

He did so on the bed, elevating his leg. I didn’t miss the way he winced.

“Here.” I handed him a cheeseburger before unwrapping my own. “When was the last time you ate?”

“Can’t remember,” he mumbled between the four bites it took him to finish it.

After handing him another, grateful I’d gotten extra, I finished my own.

“I’ll grab some drinks from the vending machine outside.” I snagged my wallet and hotel key before stepping out and into the hall. Once I was alone, I took a deep breath. So, he’d gone from being a Marine to being injured to feeling sorry for himself. Although I didn’t agree with the way he’d taken over my problems and lied to me, I now understood his motivation in doing so. How could I possibly stay mad at him?

I wasn’t sure what would happen when I went back to the room with my two cans of soda, but I certainly hadn’t expected to find Aiden asleep. He was propped up in the same position I’d left him, with the cheeseburger wrappers on my nightstand.

I took a moment to observe him, smiling to myself at the way he looked younger and more relaxed in slumber. Turning off the light, I crawled in beside him, careful not to disturb him. Guess talking would have to wait until after naptime.

I’d fallen deeply asleep when a sudden movement of the bed and the sound of muttering had me jerking awake. Once the sleep fog faded from my brain, I remembered Aiden was next to me. Looking over, I saw by the fading daylight streaming in through the window that he’d gone from sitting up to lying flat. By the way he was twitching and cursing in his sleep, he must’ve been having a nightmare.

I curled up next to him and put my hand on his chest, feeling the warmth and the beat beneath his sweater. He instantly stilled. I was keenly aware of the moment he came awake. The tensing of his body. The sensation of his harsh breath in my hair.

“I didn’t mean to fall asleep here,” he murmured.

“I don’t mind. I think naps are highly underrated,” I whispered, leaning up as he shifted to cup my face.

He didn’t hesitate in taking my lips with his own. There was a desperate edge when our tongues tangled, as if he was chasing away his demons with every touch. The bed creaked with his movement to get closer, but then suddenly his kiss was ripped away. He was grabbing his leg. “Shit. Sorry. Cramp. Ah, fuck.”

I sat up. “What can I do?”

“Nothing. Just too long in this thing.”

“Take it off.”

Since I could practically feel his jaw clenching at my suggestion, I amended. “Aiden, it’s near dark outside, and even if it wasn’t, I won’t look if you don’t want me to.”

He abruptly hopped out of the bed and took a seat in the nearby chair, clearly wanting some distance between us. “Not happening.”