Page 210

“I can be there in fifteen minutes.”

So much for him being hospitalized.

“No,” I say a little too quickly. “I’ll come to you. Just tell me where I’m going.”

With a sigh, he rattles off an address that I type into my phone. I add his number while I’m at it. You never know.

“Got it.” I hang up and return to Kota’s room.

After quickly dressing, I hesitate in the doorway. I don’t want to leave her but I won’t get another opportunity like this again.

I make myself turn away. It won’t take long. I’ll be back before she even notices I’m gone. She’ll be fine.

The further I get from Kota though, the more I question if I’ll be fine.

Later that morning, I’m scrolling through my phone when Kota finally wakes up.

Almost immediately, she stiffens in my hold.

The phone gets pocketed. Here we go.

“Don’t do that shit. You don’t get to be shy after everything we went through last night.”

She groans. “Please don’t tell me I did what I think I did.”

This is exactly why I didn’t fuck her.

“How much do you remember?”

Another groan, this one with a palm to her face, causes me to chuckle.

“You were perfect,” I tell her.

“I puked, didn’t I?”

“A lot. But at least you kept it in the toilet.”

That hand disappears so she can glare up at me. “You saw?”

“It was impossible not to. You were like the girl from The Exorcist.” Using both hands, I imitate projectile vomiting. The motion makes my pec flex under Kota’s head.

“Why were you in there with me?” she cries.

“To make sure you didn’t die. Or get any on your hair.” I don’t consider those scenarios equal but I’m pretty sure chicks do.

“You held my hair back?”

Kota’s expression softening confirms my suspicion. My efforts at keeping her hair out of puke’s way carry more weight than wanting to keep her out of harm’s way.

“I couldn’t find a thing to tie it up with.”

“A hair tie?”

A hair tie? Why didn’t I think of that name?

Her face scrunches up as her lips move side to side.

“Did you brush my teeth, too?”