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She tried to walk past him, and he gently grabbed her shoulder. “Hey, hold on.”
She stopped. His pulse was racing. Was she doing this for him? What did she actually want? How could he help?
Come on, Nick. Neither of us wants you to put on a show for me.
“You’re right,” he said. “I don’t want to be alone.”
Soon they were lying in bed, shoulder to shoulder, under the covers and in the dark.
“See?” Hayley said. “Better for your knee.”
“Sure.”
Nick focused on the tiny light on the room’s smoke detector, narrowing his world to that one pinpoint on the ceiling so he could stop thinking about her warmth beside him, or how soft her skin must feel. He didn’t want her to go, and he didn’t trust himself enough for her to stay.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said again. “Just … if I suddenly jump out of bed and run for the door, don’t take it personally.”
“If you jump out of bed and run for the door, I’ll consider it a miracle.”
He turned his head and saw her propped up on an elbow, grinning at him. They burst out laughing.
“This’ll help,” Hayley said, falling back against a pillow. “Don’t freak out.”
“What?”
Hayley slid her arm under him, and her other hand went across him to rest on his shoulder as she pressed her cheek to his chest.
26
Hayley had expected Nick to tense when she put her arms around him, but the opposite was happening. Nick’s breathing slowed, and his body seemed to sink into the mattress.
“See?” she said. “Worked like a charm.”
“Yeah.” He paused. “You’re not doing this just for me, are you?”
She almost laughed, but she knew he’d take it the wrong way. Only Nick would think she was doing him a favor here. Holding him was the best and most selfish thing she’d done all night.
“I never said we couldn’t cuddle,” she said.
He laughed. “Well, okay then.”
His arms encircled her, drew her in—God, the strength in those arms!—and it felt so good she groaned. His fingers trailed across her shoulder blades and started to play with her hair a little.
“Mmm.” She snuggled closer. “You’regoodat this.”
“Just like riding a bike,” he said. “Or so I’ve heard, anyway.”
She giggled. “Been a while, huh?”
“Longer than that. I haven’t been near a bike since I was seven.”
“Shut up,” she teased. “I meant holding someone like this. Being held like this.”
She listened to him breathe. “It’s been a very long time.”
Hayley couldn’t remember the last time Kevin had held her.
