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After a long day at school of mock exams and the sheer amount of work set for end-of-year assignments to get final grades, my brain aches. Plus the substitute in Gym is an actual beast. I don’t remember having ever sweat so bad in a gym class, but this woman is absolutely slaying.
So when I let myself into the Saint house and head up to East’s room, I am so excited at the idea of a chill night with him. I texted him after lunch to see if he wanted company tonight and he practically rhapsodized the idea. I guess being cooped up is driving him insane.
I knock on his door and push it open, finding him perched on the edge of his bed in nothing but sweats.
“Are you seriously working out?” I ask, undecided if I should be impressed or yelling at him.
He grins up at me as a bead of sweat runs down his chest. “Rehab is a bitch. Plus, this is nothing, but I refuse to waste away in this room. I have official rehab tomorrow, but my trainer emailed me over some stuff I can be doing at home.”
“Should you really be doing this so soon after coming home?”
He nods, running a hand down his chest. “I went and saw the doc today, got the all clear on the incision. It’s healed pretty nicely, though the scar is for life. I told her I was losing my mind and she said there wasn’t any harm if I was feeling up to it. She also recommended actual therapy. Don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a while.”
I look at the pink, puckered line on his chest, and my heart races with the fact that I could have lost him. We are so freaking lucky that he’s still here with us.
“Don’t look at me like that, V. I’m not going to break.” He looks fierce as fuck as he stands, but I race across the room to stop him. He might say he’s okay, but I am so not going to be responsible for him getting hurt again.
“Maybe you won’t break, but that doesn’t mean you can be Superman just yet either. Sit your ass back down. I thought we had a snuggle date.” I grin up at him, trying to make light of the fact that I can feel him trembling beneath my touch. Apparently he already overexerted himself today.
He kisses my forehead before sitting back down on the bed. “Fine, fine.”
I don’t blame him for being frustrated, I would be if I was cooped up in here all day too, but I need him to look after himself, because I can’t lose him.
I can’t lose any of them.
I might not have wanted any ties when I came back to Echoes Cove, but a lot has changed since then. I don’t even feel like the same person I was last summer.
Once I’ve helped him get comfortable, I climb over him and snuggle into his side.
“How was your day, anyway? Distract me with your tales of youth,” he teases, and I smile at him, kissing his chest. I regale him with the dull nothingness of school, the drama that fills the halls, and when I tell him about Indi and Blair, he laughs so much he snorts and it’s cute as fuck.
“It’s about time Blair realizes she can’t push everyone and not get some pushback,” he says as he mindlessly plays with my hair.
“Yeah, but who would’ve thought Indi would be the one to throw down?”
“Oh I absolutely did. That girl loves you fiercely. She’s a little spitfire.” He chuckles and I nod. He isn’t wrong.
A knock on the door steals my attention and Mrs. Potts appears. “Would you dears like some dinner?”
“That would be amazing, thank you,” East says with a smile. “I don’t suppose you’ll let me have pizza?”
She rolls her eyes at him, and I clamp my lips together to stop from laughing. “You know too well that pizza is off the menu. You boys are incorrigible. How does some lean meat and veggies sound?”
He groans and this time I don’t manage to stifle the soft giggle.
“Sounds delicious,” I say to her and she grins.
“I knew I liked you, Octavia. I’ll be back in a little while with some food for you.” She closes the door as East trails his fingers down my ribcage.
“You shouldn’t encourage her. It’s all lean meats, no processed food… no fun food.”
I sigh and move to straddle him so I can look him in the eye properly. “She’s just making sure you heal properly.”
“Healing is no fun.”
“I didn’t realize you were so whiny,” I tease. “But I can think of some fun we can have.”
The doctor said no sex… they didn’t say anything about anything else. I lean in to kiss him softly, careful of the fact that he is still healing, but he’s not having any of it.
