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“I’m fine.” The room is silent and the soft quilt smells faintly of lavender. My forehead tingles where Hiro brushed his fingers over my skin, and I drift off thinking about the way he carried me in here and his comment about me being too young. Am I imagining the gentleness in his hands when he touches me? Is it wishful thinking or did he actually press his lips to my hair before he put me down?
“Katie?” His low tone vibrates through me. “You need to eat something.”
My eyes pop open and when I lean up and can drag my eyes past the site of Hiro in soft, gray sweatpants and a rugby shirt I see he’s set up a little side table with a tray. “You get Uber eats up here?” I ask.
He rolls his eyes but there’s a grin tugging at the side of his lips. “I can cook. Did you not see all the groceries downstairs?”
I reach for a small plate filled with crackers, cheese, almonds, and strawberries. “I mostly saw cereal. Don’t you have someone who comes in and cooks for you?”
Hiro shifts to give me access to the table, propping some pillows behind my back for comfort. “I don’t. When I’m here, I like my privacy.”
I pause in the middle of chewing. “Mumph,” I mumble. These strawberries are delicious. I swallow and then glance at Hiro’s muscular thigh, so close to mine. I swallow again. “Sorry I crashed your party for one.”
He shrugs. “I’m happy to help Henry.”
I huff a sigh. “Right. It’s like dog-sitting for your bestie.”
Hiro pauses as he lifts the dome from a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. My tummy growls, surprising me. He laughs. “I’m glad you’re feeling better. I was worried when I saw you on the floor.”
“Don’t remind me.” I eagerly tuck into my plate, moaning as I bite into the thick-cut bacon.
Hiro’s jaw tightens and it intrigues me enough to do it again, practically purring as I lick the tiniest bit of salty grease from my lips. “Mmm. You even have bacon treats for your temporary pet.”
Hiro tilts his head, meeting my eyes. “You’re hardly a dog, Katie.” His gaze drops to my lips. “And if you keep licking your lips like that, I’m going to forget that your brother is my best friend.”
My throat goes tight. “Is that what stopped you before?”
He shakes his head. “No. What stopped me before was your age. What kind of man takes advantage of a sixteen-year-old girl?”
“You’re not that much older than me.”
“Almost a decade. When I walked into that New York party and saw that stupid boy with his hands all over you I wanted to smash something.” Hiro takes a deep breath. “But you were sixteen and he was sixteen and that is perfectly normal. What wasn’t normal was my reaction.”
A tremor shivers through my stomach and it has nothing to do with being sick. “I tried to kiss you that night.”
His lips twist. “Tried? You did kiss me that night.”
Heat floods my cheek and I bite my lip, remembered embarrassment leaving a heavy feeling in my chest. I straighten my shoulders. “You didn’t kiss me back. You pushed me away. It’s not like I was some innocent girl at sixteen anyway.” I was pretty wild, in fact. I look away, suddenly wishing I hadn’t tried to be so much older than I was back then.
Hiro moves closer, lifting his hand and taking my chin, forcing me to look at him. “It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do back then. You were sixteen with all the privileges of being a Black and all of the limitations too. Of course you tried to rebel. But it doesn’t matter how old you looked, or acted, or even what you asked for. I was the adult and I had to protect you.”
“Just like now.”
His eyes search mine. “It’s a little different. You’re an adult now.”
“What would happen if I tried to kiss you now?” I whisper.
“Do you still want to?”
I nod, afraid to take my eyes off his, afraid that if I move, I’ll break this spell. His fingers slide along my jaw, under my ear and tilted my face up to his. “Would you mind if I kissed you instead?”
Before I can even draw in a breath, his mouth is on mine, his lips coaxing mine to open. The kiss is like fireworks, lighting me up everywhere all at once. I tentatively press my tongue against his, my nipples tightening instantly as he groans, deepening the kiss between us.
My towel slips and I arch into his embrace, rubbing myself all over the soft knit of his shirt.
He breaks the kiss, panting as he looks down at me. “Shit. You’re sick and I should be taking care of you.”
I straighten, letting the towel fall away completely. Cool air sweeps across my nipples and the hunger in his gaze makes me bold. “I do need you to take care of me.”
