“Nah, I got this big from working on the computer all day. Something about the radiation in the new laptops.”
I’d never laughed this much with a guy. With anyone besides my friend Angie. It was really helping to balance this dark cloud.
“How about something semi-aerobic for a few minutes?” Liam suggested. “Marching in place?”
With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly let go of the shelf, marching with my knees up while swinging my arms briskly. Every ten steps or so, I reached out to tap the shelf so that I knew where I was.
On some level, I knew precisely where I was. I could visualize it. But I could be off by a few inches. Which didn’t technically matter, but it was eerie. I knew that Liam would stop me before I veered into the table. I knew that I was safe. But the feeli
ng that I was floating in space didn’t let me relax about it for a second.
“How about this?” Liam asked, moving to stand behind me and placing his hand on my shoulder. “I won’t let you wander.”
“Thank you.”
It was fascinating how sensitive he was, always seeming to be reading my body language and seeing what I needed before I fully realized it myself.
After about three minutes, boredom crept in. “My blood is flowing. Is that enough?”
“Sure,” he chuckled. His hand stayed on my shoulder as I turned toward him. “I realize that it must be weird moving around when you can’t see your feet.”
“Exactly.”
He took my hands, guiding me as he stepped back and forth, swinging my arms. “Pretend it’s an old folk dance,” he said hopefully.
I grinned as we stepped side to side, in time to an imaginary beat. With our clasped hands between us, I was able to move freely, feeling safe.
After about two minutes, Liam stopped, pulling me toward him for a little hug. “Thanks for the dance,” he said. “Also, you’re being a very good sport.”
“Thank you for making this much less annoying.” My arms wrapped around him, realizing just how huge he was. But the hug was over far too soon. “Do you think Gwen will be happy with that much exercise?” I asked.
“I’ll fudge the report if you like,” he chuckled.
He led me to the couch as I said, “It’s funny knowing that she’s still overseeing my healing process.”
His hand skimmed along the back of my shoulder, then held still for a moment before he sat back. “My sister has always been incredibly dedicated. It’s likely driving her nuts that she got injured.”
“How is she doing?”
“She says that it doesn’t hurt unless she puts weight on it.” He chuckled. “But there is some sexy neighbor who has offered to help her out, so… who knows what they might be up to.” He paused, maybe shaking his head. “I don’t want to think about it. My sister goes through phases of, shall we say, a very active social life.”
The couch shifted as Liam moved slightly. “What about you?” he asked. “Shouldn’t a nice girl like you have friends dropping in all the time?”
I smirked. “No. I’m a bit of a loner. My best friend Angie moved to Australia with the love of her life. We do video calls, but I don’t want her to see me like this.”
“Then do a voice call,” he suggested. “You should call her today.” He sighed. “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound pushy or anything. It’s just that… old friends can be comforting.” He patted my knee lightly. “I know this is a rough time for you, and I’m a total stranger. Maybe give Angie a call and you can tell her how weird your man nurse is. Should be good for a laugh.”
I giggled. There was no way I’d be able to describe how sexy Liam sounded, and the confident, casual way he was always touching me. But Angie would certainly have a great laugh with me.
“You’re right. I’ll call her tonight.”
A few hours later, after I locked the door behind Liam, I took my phone and went to bed. I wasn’t sleepy yet, just feeling a bit fragile. It felt safest in bed.
It was funny that this brilliant, sweet man could read me like a book without even seeing my expressions properly. He could tell that I was pig-headed about accepting help.
On my one-woman island, I was able to control things. If anything went off track, I had only myself to deal with. It was simpler this way. I’d seen too many examples throughout my life of women who were dependent on men.
I didn’t want to judge anyone, but sometimes it crept in. Many men treated women as cute little idiots, who were around for decoration. I had a girlfriend in college who was sharp as a tack, but her boyfriend treated her as she had the IQ of soup.