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“Well, it does,” I say.
Aaron pulls me close again, hugging me tight with his good arm.“You crack me up, and I agree.Chamomile is nasty.I’ll make coffee.”
I press closer, hugging him back, trying not to think too much about how right it feels.“I’ll grab a quick shower while you do that.Get the mascara off my face.”
“Take your time.The cupcakes and coffee will be here when you’re ready.”He presses a kiss to the top of my head that I feel everywhere.“So will I.”
I lift my chin, my throat tight and a wonderful, terrible swelling sensation in my chest.My lips part, close, then part again, but no words emerge, just a fretful sound that I don’t know what to make of.
But apparently, Aaron does, “Yeah, I have a thing for you.A way more than sex thing.But we don’t have to talk about it now.Or ever.If you want me to keep my feelings to myself, I can do that.I don’t want to add to the stress of everything you already have going on right now.”
I shake my head slightly back and forth.“That’s not what I was thinking.”
“What were you thinking?”he asks, his voice as soft and gentle as his eyes on mine.
“I was…” I swallow.“I don’t know.It wasn’t a thought, more a feeling.Like when you’re about to jump off a cliff and you’re not sure what’s hiding under the water, but…you almost don’t care.You’re just so ready to jump.”He pulls in a breath, but before he can speak, I add in a rush of breath, “But Ishouldn’tbe ready to jump.I still barely know you and you’re going to be gone soon and a few great days doesn’t make up for years of being a jerk to me in high school.”
He presses his lips together, nodding.
“You don’t know me, either,” I babble on.“Not really.Not normal me.I’m not a ‘bang a guy on every piece of furniture in my living room’ type of girl.That was a unique experience.I’m usually boring and tired and cranky.I don’t have energy for sex because I use up all my energy at work and taking care of Chase.By the time I flop into bed, all I want to do is sleep.And I’m starting to like sleeping alone, without a man snoring on the pillow next to me.”
He nods again, looking almost…amused.
“Stop,” I say, scowling as I swat him lightly on his chest.“This isn’t funny.This won’t work.It can’t work.It’s doomed.We shouldn’t jump off the cliff, Aaron.We should go home with our swimsuits dry and our hearts and lives still intact.”
“Are you done?”he asks after a beat.
I pull in a breath, holding it for a moment before I exhale with a shake of my head.“No.Yes.”I growl softly.“I don’t know.”
“Go take a shower.Put on cozy clothes and some of those fluffy socks you like.Then come down and eat cupcakes.I’ll order dinner delivered, so you don’t have to cook, and we can watch something dumb on TV while we eat.”
I start to protest that I can’t waste money on dinner, and I don’t want him buying me more things after he already paid for the cleaner and the pest control guy, but he presses a finger to my lips.
“Hush,” he says.“Your brain is tired and you’re sliding into the Bad Things are The Only Things That Ever Happen rabbit hole.When you’re tumbling down that rabbit hole, you’re incapable of making reasonable decisions.So, no decisions tonight.Tonight, there’s only food and rest and maybe some friendly snuggling on the couch if you’re lucky and I’m in the mood.Everything else can wait.”I hum doubtfully against his finger, and he smiles.“I promise it can.You don’t have to fight all the dragons all the time.Sometimes, you can give the dragon a number and ask him to wait on the bench until you’re ready to head back into the ring.”
I pull in a breath and let it out.
Maybe he’s right.Just hearing him talk about taking a night away from my problems made my jaw feel looser than it has all day.Actually relaxing for an entire evening might do wonders for my flagging faith in myself.
At the very least, it’ll be a nice break.
Maybe even a necessary one.
He’s right, this dragon will still be here tomorrow.But how does one fight the Dragon of Falling in Love with The Wrong Man?I have no idea, but thankfully that’s not a battle I have to fight right now.
“Okay,” I murmur against his finger.
His brows shoot up as he drops his hand to his side.“Really?You’re going to let me draw you into my cozy rest vortex?”
I smile.“Yes.Vortex away.I’ll be back when I’m clean and in my PJs.”I back toward the stairs, pointing a finger at his chest as I go.“But don’t order pizza.I can’t eat salty foods for dinner, or I’ll be up all night drinking water and peeing.It’s a vicious cycle.”
He nods seriously.“Sounds like it.How about two roasted chicken dinner specials from The BBQ Hamlet with the healthy vegetables on the side instead of the fried stuff?”
“Split the difference—half fried, half healthy—and you’ve got a deal.”
He winks.“Got it.”
I hesitate for another moment, wanting to tell him something more than thank you.Wanting to tell him that he’s giving me hope and that it means more than hope ever has before because faith has been in such short supply since my happy family fell apart.
