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“But I could help that baby, and I knew—I knew I couldn’t stand there and watch him die. So I ran, and yes, it was awful. The smoke was burning my lungs, and my eyes were watering so bad I could barely see, but then I finally reached the baby’s bedroom, and I found him lying there, and nothing mattered but getting him to safety. I didn’t check for his pulse. I just grabbed him, held him to my chest, and got out of there.” A thumb glides under my eye, catching the tear that escaped. Carson leans down and kisses the top of my head. “Up until I was eight, I had a family. I had someone I could call my own, someone who counted on me. Then one night he was taken from me. I spent the next seven years completely alone. It was the most excruciating time of my life, and at moments I felt like no one cared about me. When I was fifteen, I met this idiot of a boy, who was always frowning but had a heart of gold. He made it his mission to help me live my life again. He would make me laugh, even when I could barely get out of bed. I felt like I had a purpose in life again. He became my best friend, and he still is to this day. He got to do what he always dreamed of, and I couldn’t be prouder, but that meant I was on my own again, so I decided to move here. I was prepared to spend my days alone, while supporting my friend from afar.”

Carson lowers his head. I cup his cheek. His eyes close. “Then…” I start, my voice wavering.” My car broke down, and this gorgeous, grumpy man shows up.” Carson chuckles holding my hand firmly against his cheek “And he took me in his car and he drove me into town, he gave me sunscreen so I wouldn’t get hurt. And every single time since that moment he’s been there for me, he comforted me when I needed it the most, even when we just met.” I peer into his teary eyes, with trembling fingers I caress his cheek wiping the tear away.

“He became the first person I thought of when I woke up. He is the man who brings me flowers, who makes my breakfast just the way I like it. He notices tiny details about me that I didn’t notice about myself. And he came to me, asking for my help, and that—that made me feel the most accomplished woman in my life. For once someone needed me, and if I could help the man who was restoring my faith in humankind, then that would be my biggest honor.” I pull Carson’s face closer to mine. He stares into my eyes. A breathy sigh escapes his lips. He tilts my chin up using his pointer finger, pressing those soft lips against mine in a short peck. I pull away from him. The need to finish my sentence overpowering the need to kiss him.

I don’t ever want to stop kissing him, but he needs to hear what I have to say.

“You are the most extraordinary man I’ve met.”

He chokes, tears rolling down his cheek. “The fact that you thought you were a bad friend were some of the most painful words I’ve ever heard. You have been nothing but an amazing friend. Ash has been my best friend for eight years, but the way I feel about you is entirely different than the adoration I have for him.”

The tub water is slowly cooling down, but that’s the least of my worries right now. I need him to know how I feel about him, how butterflies erupt in my stomach every time he’s near, how I think about him when I go to sleep and when I wake up.

“I like you, Carson. I like you a whole lot.”

He stills underneath my touch, biting his lips, a smile breaking free.

“Twenty-five days,” he whispers, squeezing my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckle.

“What?”

He kisses the tip of my nose, bringing our hands to his mouth, kissing that too. “That’s how long I have liked you.”

“But—but…” I falter, my brain turning into mush. “That’s when we met.”

Has he liked me from the moment we met?

“I liked you the first time I saw you. That time when I picked you up and brought you to town was the first time I could think clearly. You’re the one who calms my brain, who stops me from spiraling. When I’m with you, my mind is quiet. I don’t have to think about my words, how they come out, or how they sound. You’re the answer to all my questions.”

“Cars.” His name a broken whisper.

“You’re my miracle, Alexis…I’ve been patient. I didn’t know how you felt about me. I wanted to be the person you could turn to, but now…” He trails off with a quick shake of his head. “I can’t pretend we’re just friends, not now I know what it felt like to be more. You mean so much more to me than just a friend. I have never done this before. I have no idea how to act, what to do, but I want to learn…with you.”

I hold back the tears that are threatening to escape. “I would love to learn. With you.” I answer, my voice breaking with the last two words. He cups my face, lowering his forehead against mine, breathing me in. Then whispers,

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Carson

She’s asleep, her head is burrowed in the crook of my neck, her soft breaths fan over my skin. My hand is still smoothing down her bare back where her pajama shirt has ridden up. I know she’s asleep, but I’m scared that if I stop, she’ll wake up.

The bath had helped tremendously, her body didn’t hurt as much as it did before, she was able to dry herself off while I waited patiently in her bedroom. She had asked me if I could hand her some underwear and pajamas. I opened every drawer and door in her closet until I found her pajamas, staring in shock at the amount of sleepwear she had, there must have been ten different sorts of pajamas. I never knew women needed that much. I don’t own one, I normally sleep in my boxers. If it’s cold, I put a t-shirt on. The last time I wore pajamas was when I was a kid. Then I opened the drawer that contained her underwear, and at that point I wasn’t shocked anymore at the amount I found, the entire drawer was filled with panties. I remember when my mother was packing her suitcase for our eight-day holiday, and she said she had packed sixteen pairs of underwear. When I asked why she was bringing so many, she said it was in case she peed her pants. As far as I knew she had never peed her pants, but you never know.

Perhaps that’s why Alexis has so many too.

A few minutes later she stepped into the bedroom, dressed in the clothes I gave her, holding a hairbrush in her hand. Before she could do her hair, I interjected and took the brush from her and ordered her to sit on the bed. I started at the top and slowly made my way down until her hair was no longer tangled, then parted her hair in three sections and carefully but precise braided her hair. She had turned around, her mouth wide open, when I had bend over to grab her hair tie.

I explained to her that I knew how to braid because of my mother, which was not a lie, my mother was the one who taught me, but only after I had asked her to teach me. I knew that Alexis liked to have her hair braided, and I wanted to be prepared in case she had no energy to do it. So I could step in. Which happened to be today, my movements were slow, and it was definitely not the best braid you’ll ever see, but she was elated, she had even kissed me on the cheek.

I bury my fingers in her hair, playing with the loose strands that escaped the braid already. My eyes closing. I had almost lost control in the bathtub. I had never felt so nervous as when she asked me to help her undress. I was scared I’d make a fool of myself, then she moaned when she entered the tub. And fuck, my pants had never been so tight.

I had to turn around to compose myself so I wouldn’t do anything stupid.

I’m nearly asleep when the loud shrill of the doorbell echoes through the room. Alexis jerks in my grip, her eyes luckily still closed. I carefully manage to maneuver myself from her grip, walking on my toes, towards the stairs, closing her bedroom door behind me. I open the front door, expecting to see a delivery driver, but instead I’m met with the man I’ve seen countless times on TV. My favorite baseball player.

Asher Brooks. He towers above me, but only about an inch or two, his brown curly hair peeks from underneath a baseball cap.