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“Are you sure you want to spend the night with me?” I ask, feeling that same sense of self-doubt I’ve felt whenever I’m around anyone that has to take care of me. Kacey’s eyes flick to mine before that sexy as hell smile appears on his lips and I have to take a breath to calm my nerves.
“Not an issue. We’ll have fun.” He winks, looking toward his sister who is staring at her phone, smiling. “And by the way, when were you going to tell me about this lifeguard guy?” Kelsey’s eyes widen and then they glance at me and narrow. I mouth “sorry” before she puts her phone away and sets her shoulders back.
“He’s a guy I started seeing a day ago, so forgive me for not telling you about him in the last twenty-four hours.” She rolls her eyes and takes a few steps toward my bed. “When you were unconscious, I went back to our room and got you some clothes, they’re in the bag over there.” She motions to the chair right beside my bed and I nod.
“Thank Kels.” Her eyes search mine as she takes a deep breath.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I nod, smiling, taking her hand and squeezing. “I mean you agreed to spend the entire night with my brother. You must be sick,” she teases.
“Last time I checked that’s what you always wanted,” I say before thinking, silently berating myself when I catch what I just said. Kacey chuckles softly from across the room as I give him a look that tells him to shut the fuck up.
“That’s the dream, but not this way,” she admits, leaning down and hugging me. “You call me with anything okay? If you need a break from this piece of shit, just call and I’ll come rescue you.” I smile, holding back a laugh because, from the pressure that’s still in my head, I know it will hurt.
“We’ll be in my cabin for the night okay? Just in case you need to find us.” Kelsey nods before making her way out of the room and leaving us blissfully alone.
“You know, if you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask. No need to test the limits of a river.” I roll my eyes. The motion causes a flicker of pain and I hiss, holding the side of my head. “Fuck, sorry baby. I’ll try and keep the sarcasm to a minimum.”
“Is that even possible?” I tease, his smile lighting up the dim room.
“We’ll have to wait and see.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
KACEY
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask as I help her onto my bed, watching as she slowly sinks into the mattress. Ever since Kelsey called me, crying hysterically about what happened, all I’ve been able to think about are the what ifs. What if she fell overboard and was never found? What if she hit her head so hard she lost her memory? Or worse, what if she never woke up? All those scenarios run through my head as her fingers grasp the comforter, pulling it over her sweatpants.
“Kace, I’m fine.” I give her a look telling her I don’t believe her, but she smiles and shakes her head. “I promise, just a slight headache which is to be expected.” I take a seat next to her, my hand clasping hers and squeezing, needing reassurance that she’s here. “What’s going through that head of yours?” she whispers, her eyes closing as she tilts her head against the headboard.
“I almost lost you,” I whisper, barely audible but Ash hears it, her eyes shooting open as they collide with mine. “I know there is so much between us that is up in the air and I know most of the fault is on me and my past but baby, when Kels called me and told me you fell and hit your head, I thought my world had shattered right there at my feet.” The emotions boil to the surface and for the first time since hearing what happened I let the tears form, a single one falling and cascading down my cheek as her eyes soften.
“Kacey,” she whispers, cupping my cheek, her thumb brushing away the tear before it falls between us. “I’m right here and I have no plans to go anywhere.” Her voice is soft and the second our eyes connect I can’t stand the space between us and lean in, waiting just a second to see if she backs away. When she doesn’t, I take her lips in a kiss I’ve been craving since I saw her in that hospital bed.
The kiss is soft, featherlight, as I make sure not to overdo it. My fingers grip the back of her neck, pulling her closer ever so lightly and when that moan I’ve craved since I first heard it echoes around us, I know I have to pull away.
Both of us breathing heavily, Ashley leans back, her eyes hooded as a telling smirk crosses her face. My fingers entwine with hers, bracing myself for the fight, but it never comes. When my eyes crash with hers, all I see is contentment.
“You can stop looking at me like I’m going to push you away,” she teases, her eyes shining with humor.
“Can you blame me for expecting it?” A sliver of sadness crosses over her eyes but in a blink, it’s gone and she shakes her head.
“You scare me more than anything else in this world, and the idea of jumping headfirst into this thing between us causes me to hyperventilate.” I nod solemnly, dreading where this conversation is going. “But…” My eyes widen as a huge smile appears on her face.
“But?” That glimmer of hope I’ve been carrying with me for years spins recklessly in my stomach as I take a deep breath to settle my racing heart.
“But,” Ashley says with a smile, her fingers squeezing mine a little harder than before. “I can’t deny my feelings anymore. I can’t go around pretending that I’m okay with how things are right now.” My eyes drift shut as I take in the words that just fell from her lips. I’ve waited years to hear them and yet there’s this splinter of doubt lingering and so I push back.
“What about what you said yesterday about Kelsey and my family? What changed?”
“Nothing and everything,” she mutters as I tilt my head to the side because I’m so confused right now. “The way I feel about your family and Kelsey hasn’t changed. I’m still terrified of losing them all if this goes south but I can’t fight this anymore Kace. I can’t fight my attraction to you or the fact that you make me feel beautiful, wanted, and desired.” Fuck, the way she’s talking, it’s like no man has ever made her feel any of that and to me, that’s a fucking crime.
“So where does this leave us then, huh?” She takes a breath, closing her eyes as she grimaces in pain and I get up, heading to her bag and getting the Tylenol out, handing her two pills. She gives me a sad smile before she downs them, no water necessary. “You know what, we can talk about this tomorrow. You need to rest.” But just when I think she’ll take the out she doesn’t, taking me by the hand and sitting up, shifting until she’s right in front of me.
“No, we need to talk about this now.” I go to stop her, but she holds up her hand and I shut up. “I want you, Kacey. I’ve wanted you for as long as I can remember and for the same amount of time I’ve stayed away because…well because you’re a wild card. I never knew if you were staying or going, and the idea of losing the only family I have ever really known caused me to panic.”
“Understandable.”
“But if we do this…” My ears perk up, a slight smile peeking out the edges of my lips. “If we do this, I need to keep it from your sister.” My heart sinks, and the idea of lying to my sister is not on the top of my list.
