Page 131 of Chasing Headlines
I chuckled. A bit. My head ached with the movement, and so did my whole body.
“Do you need me to help you to your room? Or are you going to be a tough guy?”
I grinned. “And miss my chance to have your arms around me? I'll let go of my pride. And if you decide to get handsy, just remember: not until day four.”
She groaned. “You're the worst. Really. But come on.” She moved beneath my shoulder and let me lean on her. “At least your story is heroic.” She gave me a sidelong glance that was sexyas hell. “Going all night, even with a head injury, just to please me.”
“Practically the stuff of dating legend. At least my reputation is safe.”
I leaned on her maybe a bit more than I needed to. But she smelled nice, she felt nice. The idea that I could make her feelmore than nicecleared its own space and pitched a substantial-sized tent in my brain. And drove some pretty deep-rooted stakes into the synapses that ultimately controlled the rest of my body.
Yep, it was completely her fault that all I could think about was making her plead and scream my name. I was just a reporter-hating bystander.
Oh. Yeah. Speaking of which. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She paused outside my dorm room. I steadied myself as my head and stomach decided to do a synchronized flip. “You have your key somewhere?”
“A key to my place? That's a pretty big commitment. You sure about this?” I fished the key out of my pocket and held it out to her.
“You're all jokes today. You been saving them for a rainy day?” She rolled her eyes. “Not used to your sass. You usually only growl and complain. Maybe a bit of spewed bile here and there.” The lock clicked and she swung open the door.
I grabbed her arm. “Why'd you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You could have dropped me off and let me fend for myself. Instead of . . . what you did. What you're doing.”
“Do you remember anything from yesterday?”
“Um, not really. Not much before the hospital, to be honest.”
Her mouth turned down and she blinked. Her eyelashes fluttered, but her eyes changed . . . like she'd mentally wandered off. Far away from me.
“Why?”
She stepped through the door into my dorm room. Thankfully I hadn't left it a complete disaster when I'd left Friday morning.
“Wow, I should have tried out for the track team.” She stopped just inside the doorway, craning her neck to see around the place. “You don't have to have a roommate and you get a kitchenette area?”
“Eh, community showers.” I shut the door. “Win some, lose some.”
“Ew. I'll take communal kitchen over showers, then.” She remained in place near the door. She wouldn't look at me.
“Thank you.” I managed to say the words aloud. They didn't taste like poison. They didn't melt me and my self-respect into goo when they left my lips. I just wanted . . . to hold her, again. To remember the taste of her lips.
“You're welcome.” She crossed her arms over her stomach and ducked her head.
“I know we?—”
“There's no 'we', right?” Her voice turned sharp. “We're not on the same team. I'm barely even human.” Her mouth twitched, and the image of her in the locker room with tears in her eyes taunted me.
“I'm sorry. I've been taking my bullshit out on you.”On lots of people. But you, maybe more than most.Pain tightened its grip on my ribcage.But you make mefeelmore than most. And I hate it because all I should feel is pain.
“Yeah. You have. And I know I have a habit of saying insensitive things from time to time. But I did try to apologize.” She lifted her chin. “I don't think I deserved . . . most of what you've said to me. Over the past few months.”
I closed my eyes and nodded. Wavered on my feet. Felt like dropping to the floor. Her arm snaked around me again. “You ok?”
“Hm? Yeah. I think.”