She has a far-off expression in her eyes. She’s hiding something there. A secret. A threat. A shadow.
Maybe she’s not quite so honest after all.
I don’t like that look. It makes me feel like she’s pulling away from me, sinking back into the dredges of the life that’s sunk its claws into her.
“My father is not the only one who’s watching me.”
I frown. “Who else is?”
She blinks, snaps herself out of the daze she’s in. Then she focuses on me.
“It doesn’t matter,” she says. “Right now, I’m here. With you.”
I want to pursue this question, but I have a feeling it would ruin everything that’s percolating between us. So I just smile. “Lucky me.”
She takes a step closer. There’s only a sliver of space between our bodies now. I desperately want to close it.
“I should go back to the hospital,” she says hesitantly.
“Do you want to?”
She smiles sadly. “No.”
“Then don’t,” I tell her. “Stay here. Stay with me.”