Page 26 of Saved By Two

I kneel in front of her and hook my finger under her chin. She blinks as I come into focus.

“You okay?” I ask again.

Swallowing, she nods her head. “Yeah, sorry.”

Dropping my finger from her face, I reach for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m the one who should apologise for managing to scare both you and Maggie simultaneously.”

Instead of replying, she glances towards our hands, and I’m about to let go when she squeezes a little tighter.

“Is there anyone else you want to call? Let them know where you are. That you’re all right.” Which is bullocks, she’s anything but all right.

She shakes her head. “Honestly, there’s no one else. Not anyone I still talk to or who would notice me gone. And if they did, it’s likely they’re Curtis’s friends, not mine.”

I can’t imagine how isolated she’s been over the last few months—not having anyone to turn to until she was desperate.

“Well, you’re safe now, and that’s all that matters.” I don’t know how many times I’ve told her that since she turned up, and yet I keep reiterating it, if anything, to prove to myself that she is indeed here and safe.

“Thank you. Both you and Caleb have been extremely hospitable under the circumstances.”

I notice she tries to stifle a yawn, so letting go of her hand, I push to my feet.

“Come on, you. You need to go get some more rest.”

Gingerly, she shuffles forward and stands up; a soft groan falls from her lips followed by a sharp hiss through her teeth as she stands.

“How about a nap, and then when you wake up, I’ll make us both some lunch.”

She licks her lips. I noticed she didn’t touch the biscuits.

“Yeah, okay.”

When we return to the guest room and step inside, I take in the fresh linen on the bed, extra pillows, a fluffy faux fur throw, and a small vase of flowers on the dresser.

Maggie is an absolute gem of a woman. It gives the room a more comfortable feel, less generic guest room. Jessica runs the tips of her fingers over the throw before gently lowering herself to the bed.

“If you want to watch TV,” I say, reaching for the remote. “Just press the power button. It's built-in with the bed frame,” I say, pressing the button and watching the TV rise from the foot of the bed before handing her the remote. “You can watch any channel. There’s also a selection of music and radio stations in case you just want background noise.”

She’s still watching the TV rise, not that I can blame her. It's a fair old size.

“Thank you, I might watch it for a while.”

Of course, if I had my way, I’d just sit in here with her, but the last thing I want to do is seem as though I’m hovering.

I nod, lean down, and kiss the crown of her head.

“Do you want the door open or closed?”

Her eyes scan the door and then the room quickly. “Closed, please. But only if that’s all right with you?”

I have to grind my jaw to keep my anger at bay, not with her but with the question.

What the actual fuck?

From now until further notice, it's my goal to ensure she’s the one who is indeed comfortable.

ChapterThirteen

JESSICA

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