“Where are we going?” Arden has taken a right at the table instead of a left. He’s guiding us toward his room instead of mine. “Ard?”
“I’m supposed to keep an eye on you and so I need you to be in view at all times. That means you’re sleeping with me.”
“Arden!” I protest, stopping in my tracks. “She said ‘check on me once in a while’ not ‘every second of the day’.”
“This is the only way that I’m going to be okay with not taking you to the emergency room. Dani, please. Just…let me do this.”
I should be annoyed. He’s breaking the rules. But this is different. This isn’t for sex. It’s not for hooking up. Arden wants me in his bed because he’s genuinely worried about me. It’s written all over his face. Having me across the apartment is too far for him.
A feeling flows through me. From the very top of my head to the very tip of my toes. A feeling I’m afraid to name. Even more afraid to acknowledge.
“Okay.”
With a sigh of relief, Arden leads me toward his bed, pulling back the covers so I can slide in. He positions the bag of ice so that it rests in the exact spot I need it to and then leaves to get something from the kitchen. His bed smells like him and I resist the urge to take a huge whiff of his pillow.
He’s back within a few seconds with a water bottle, another bag of ice and a first aid kit in hand.
“Here.” He hands me the water bottle. “Do you want me to wrap your wrist for you?”
“I can do it.”
“Brat.”
“What? I can!”
He takes the wrap out of the kit and places my wrist gently on his lap. Beginning in the middle of my palm, he snakes the wrap around my thumb and hand a few times before moving down to my wrist.
“You know what they say, doctors make the worst patients,” he says as he finishes the wrap, putting a piece of medical tape to keep it shut.
“I’m not a doctor.”
“Not yet. But you will be.” He brings the wrapped wrist up to his lips and kisses it before placing it back down and laying the second bag of ice on it. “Rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
I don’t have the energy to protest his attention any more. I give a lazy grin, the only thing I can muster really and then fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Arden
She’sscaringtheshitout of me. In more ways than one.
Her chest moves up and down with each breath and it’s reminding me to take my own. But the more I look at her, the harder it is to catch my own breath. She’s ruining me.
I know she’s still worried that I’m a ticking time bomb but I am determined more than ever to prove to her that that’s not the case. Every session I have with Melissa proves that I’m able to make a change. That I see the problem and I’m taking active steps toward fixing it.
I wish I could tell her that I’m seeing a therapist and working on my issues. But I don’t want her to think I’m broken. Weak. That I could snap at any moment. I’m not like that. I can only show her over time. I’m not going to rush anything but I want her to know I’m serious. I don’t want anyone but her. If I’m honest with myself, I haven’t wanted anyone but her in a very long time. Longer than I’d like to admit.
I need to do something to get her to understand that I’m the real deal. I’m not going anywhere. This “pretend” boyfriend thing was a joke at first but I always knew it would lead to something like this. I just didn’t want to admit it. And I know Danika would never. I know that she’s way too headstrong to admit that this really hasn’t been fake at all.
She’s been asleep for a few hours and she really should wake up and eat something but I’m not about to be the one to tell her that. As if she heard my thoughts, though, her eyes start to blink and she opens them wide.
“I’m hungry,” she says, yawning.
“I figured you would be.” I go to her side and kneel down next to the bed. “I got your favorite chicken fingers and pizza bagels. Do you want me to make that?”
“Yes, please,” she says. “Let me help.” She tries to get up from the bed but I don’t let her.
“Absolutely not. You stay, I’ve got it handled.”