Page 49

“You’re fine,” I diagnosed. “Go put some antibiotic ointment on it and wrap it.”

His left arm was resting on his other thigh, and before I could move, he reached out and brushed his thumb beneath my eye. “Can you do it for me?”

Goddammit. I’d played right into his hands.

“Please?” His gentle, plaintive murmur slipped right past all my defenses. They were all withering in his overwhelming presence.

Fuck.

Heaving an enormous sigh, I rubbed my eyes. “Where is it?”

“Here.” My eyes popped open to see a first aid kit already in his hand.

Like he’d planned this.

I honestly wanted to laugh. It was so strangely endearing, like he’d hoped I would ask about it.

I couldn’t figure this guy out for the life of me, but right now that wasn’t a top priority.

Snatching the first aid kit from his fingers, I ignored the triumph in his eyes and got to work. And all the while, I felt that same, familiar sensation of his eyes on me. It was as tangible as a touch.

When I was finished, I slapped his calf right above the wound. “I’m done with you.”

“We’re just getting started,” he said, and when I rolled my eyes at him, he winked at me. “You’ll see.”

I ignored him, turning my attention back to the TV. “Do you mind if I keep the TV on? Is that gonna keep you up?”

He chuckled, and something shifted inside me. “No, I don’t mind.”

“Good,” I said.

“Night, Whitney.”

He turned out the light, and I was left lying in the glow of a bygone era, his low laugh ringing in my ears.

I stayed up for a long time. Despite how exhausted I was, sleep refused to come for me, so I watched as one movie ended and another began.

I shivered under the blankets. It was cold, right?

It was too cold down here on the floor. Why should I have to sleep on this frosty floor when there was a perfectly good bed with a warm body in it?

Court’s breaths began to even out until I was sure he had fallen asleep. I listened to him breathing deeply, then threw off my covers and went to the bed. He was on his side, one big arm stretched out and the other laying on his hip. I pulled back the covers and slid ass-first against him, using his bicep as a pillow.

He was a solid wall of heat, surrounding me completely. He mumbled something incoherent and wrapped his other arm around me, resting his open palm against my stomach.

A sense of peace settled over me as he breathed, the rhythmic movements of his chest along my back soothing, and soon, I fell asleep.

FIFTEEN

Court was gone when I woke up in his bed.

Again.

The past few days, I’d been sneaking in after he fell asleep, and every morning I’d wake up and he was already gone.

Fuck. I was hoping to wake up before him so he wouldn’t know I’d moved to the bed. I thought maybe it was a lost cause at this point, though.

I raided his dresser and found a shirt that didn’t have a ridiculous logo, then a light sweatshirt with long sleeves to cover my arms, another pair of boxers, and another pair of socks. I pulled on my unwashed jeans because who was here to judge me, anyway? I had to make do, and I wasn’t parading around in Court’s boxers.