“The Lorax.”
I felt his thick arm give me a squeeze. “I loved that one,” he said. It sounded like he was a million miles away. “So,” he began slowly, “They don’t know for sure if your eyes will stay in place this time?”
I started to shake my head, then stopped. “No. Weirdly, it’s a pretty safe surgery, but many people need to have it done a few times.”
His fingers twirled a few fallen strands of my hair over my shoulder. I sighed, feeling my body sinking into his even more as I relaxed completely. “I’m going to have to do eye exercises and vision therapy for quite a while, apparently.”
The feeling of his hand stroking my shoulder was so comforting. “I don’t like that you might have to go through this again,” he said gently.
“Me neither.”
“It’s absolutely none of my business,” he nearly whispered, “But I also don’t like that you don’t have family or friends nearby to check on you. I don’t like that you’re alone.”
Feeling my jaw clench, I tried to quiet my automatic response. “Except for this week, I’m fine,” I said as calmly as possible. “I’m totally self-sufficient.”
“Everyone needs people,” he breathed next to my ear. “Kayla, it’s okay to let people in.”
I nodded, feeling my flash of stress already melting away. My hand reached out to stroke his chest, knowing that I shouldn’t. I heard his breath catch softly as if he liked it.
Feeling tiny and safe in his arms, I drifted off for a second, listening to his low, deep breaths.
CHAPTER SIX
* Liam *
Listening to Kayla’s soft breathing as she fell asleep on me was one of the sweetest things I’d ever experienced. It meant that she trusted me, which touched my heart in a way that I couldn’t quite make sense of.
Of course, it also meant this poor girl was exhausted. Maybe Gwen was right, and she needed a little more exercise and circulation. But not today.
Even though she was sound asleep, her hand stretched across my chest, curling up to the side of my neck. A tremor of raw desire coursed through me, but I tried to be as still as possible so that she wouldn’t wake up.
Reaching out carefully with my free hand, I turned my phone off so that it wouldn’t disturb her if Gwen called. Checking the time, I figured that an hour long nap wouldn’t disrupt her sleep schedule too much.
Holding her gently as she slept, I was reminded once again that it had been far, far too long since I’d been with a woman. I didn’t have the time or energy to bother socializing much. I didn’t want to waste my time with someone who wasn’t spectacular. Dating average girls had become exhausting, and I’d rather be alone than irritated.
The realization that Kayla seemed to be perfect for me in every way was both an incredible high, and a bone-crushing low.
I knew that at some point, she was going to take a good look at me. The moment of truth, of watching the honest reaction in her eyes before she rearranged her expression politely, would be yet another disappointment.
That wasn’t her fault. And it was still a few days from happening. At this moment, I could be her protector. I could be the person that she relied on, even though it obviously drove her crazy to accept help.
Finally Kayla began to stir. At first, she nestled into my shoulder even closer. Her fingertips danced along the side of my neck as she released a soft sigh. Then her breath caught, and she stiffened for a second before slowly retracting her hand.
“Good morning,” I said gently, smiling hard so that she could hear it. “That dizzy spell must have taken something out of you. You were asleep for half an hour.”
“Oh… I’m sorry,” she said automatically, but I gave her a tiny squeeze.
“Don’t be sorry, Kayla. You’re healing. You’re supposed to rest.”
She sat up slowly, and I hated that she pulled away from me. “I’m sorry that I kidnapped your shoulder as a pillow,” she said, obviously embarrassed.
I stroked her back gently. “Don’t you dare worry about it. If my big, heavy arms can pin you down when you need it, then that’s what they’re here for.”
She flashed me a little smile.
“Do you still want some tea?” I asked. “If you do, I insist on making it for you. As your keeper, I command you to stay on the couch for at least another hour.”
Her jaw clenched and her lips tightened. “I wish you could see how hard I am glaring at you,” she said before bursting into laughter. “But no, I don’t need tea. Thank you. Maybe I should listen to an audiobook for a while so that you can get some work done.”