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“The people I wanted to be with? What do you mean?” I was confused. “Why wouldn’t I have wanted you to stay with me?”
Finally, he turned to face me, his eyes open. “Because you asked for Hampton.” The flash of hurt that crossed his face made my heart squeeze and suddenly it made sense why he hadn’t come back
“Oh,” I said softly. “I was out of it. I didn’t mean to…” I trailed off, not really sure what to say to make it better.
“Choose him over me?” he finished.
“I didn’t choose him over you. I just…” Again, I couldn’t find the right words. I couldn’t believe he felt this way, that he felt any way when it came to me.
He let out a bitter laugh. “It’s okay. I’m used to it by now.”
There it was again.
Not anger.
Hurt.
Lawson was hurt. By me. And even though it didn’t make sense, his hurt made me mad. I couldn’t believe he thought I was making a conscious decision to pick his brother over him. That implied there was ever a choice, which there wasn’t.
“Used to what? Hampton’s my best friend. You keep saying I chose him over you, but there was never a choice. Up until I moved in with you last month, I felt like I barely knew you. Sure, we grew up together, but you were always so…distant. And mean to me.”
His eyes widened. “Mean?”
I nodded emphatically. “You were an ass. You were always giving me a hard time, riding me about every little thing. You were worse than my mom most of the time!”
His lips were pressed in a tight line as his eyes roamed my face. He was struggling with what to say, but finally, his voice barely audible said, “Do you want to know when you became mine?”
I blinked. And then blinked again. I didn’t even know what that meant, and I couldn’t understand the seemingly sudden change of subject. “Yours?”
His eyes burned into my own and his voice was full of conviction as he whispered, “Mine.”
I laughed weakly, trying to ease the sudden tension. “What are you, a caveman now?” I made a point of looking around the room. “Where’s your club to knock me over the head with?”
His face was still serious as he said, “You became mine when I pulled you out of that swimming pool.”
My brows furrowed, and I shook my head. “No, you didn’t—”
“It wasn’t Hampton who saved you that day.” He paused when my mouth fell open, silencing my protest with another jerk of his head. When he was satisfied that I wasn’t going to interrupt him, he continued dropping his bombshell. “It was me. He stood on the side of the pool, screaming your name while I was the one who dove in and dragged you from the bottom.”
I couldn’t speak as my mind scrambled to remember the events of that day so long ago. I just sat there staring at him, my mouth agape. “But, but…” I sputtered. “I came to in his arms.”
He grimaced. “Yeah, because you were water logged and I had to put you on the ground. The moment I had you out of the pool, Hampton snapped back to life and was all over you.”
“So, you saved my life twice now?” I still couldn’t wrap my mind around any of this. “And that’s when I became…yours? What does that mean exactly?”
He leaned his head back against my headboard and shut his eyes again. “Nothing. It means nothing.”
I grabbed his arm and shook it hard. “You wouldn’t have said anything at all if it meant nothing.” His revelation had my stomach in knots, and I was determined not to let him get away with not explaining everything to me.
His eyes popped open and he glanced at me before pushing off the bed.
“I can’t do this right now. I’ve got to get some work done.” He strode to the door, skidding to a stop when I slung the covers from my body and bolted to my feet.
“Lawson! Talk to me,” I said, gasping for air. The sudden motion had caused my head to spin. At least that’s what I thought it was. It could have been the sudden rush of feelings that had invaded my body. I stumbled slightly, catching myself on the nightstand only a fraction of a second before Lawson’s arms were around me, holding me up.
I leaned my head back, gazing into those soft warm eyes I’d looked at a thousand times before, but had never really seen. They were full of concern, roving over my face, checking for any signs that I’d hurt myself.
I forced a smile and attempted to joke, “I guess I shouldn’t have jumped up so fast.” But it came out lamely and I knew it.
