Page 6 of Room One Hundred and Nineteen: Watching Her

“Miles, I’m not in the mood,” I cut him off. My gaze sliced to the sight of her walking down the hall and into the staff locker room.

“Fine. You wanna go talk to her?” he asked. I opened and shut my mouth. Worried if I followed her, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands to myself. My self-control was slipping, a thin thread about to snap.

“She’s on her fifteen-minute break. I saw her eat a PB and J earlier between patients, so that means she’s probably?—“

“Napping,” I interrupted. Watching her the way we did, we knew everything there was to know about Elena. Her expressions, her routine, her moods.

“Fuck. Fine.” I walked away. I felt Miles watching my every step until I disappeared into the locker room. Slowly, I opened the door and quietly moved through it to the small area in the back that held cots for the staff who worked overnight.

She was sitting on one of them, her palms pressed to her face. The soft sound of her crying stopped me dead in my tracks.

She was upset.

So upset she was crying!

Fuck, what the hell is going on?I hated this. I understood and even agreed with Josh when he told us we needed to take our time and not crowd Elena about the unconventional things we wanted with her.

But waiting around watching shit like this? Feeling helpless? It was going to fucking kill me. I hated how it felt, unable to do anything. The dark circles under her eyes let on just how freaking exhausted she was. Jesus, if Miles, Josh, and I stepped up, we could help her. Take a weight off her shoulders and make her life easier.

Elena chose that moment to look up, and our eyes connected. Before I could mutter her name, her lips started to wobble. I rushed over and kneeled in front of her.

“Baby, talk to me.”

“I’m…” Her big glasses were smudged, but it didn’t take away from the beautiful brown gaze that stared at me before she shut them. “I’m fine,” she whispered.

“Elena.” She shook her head, silently refusing to look at me. “Talk to me, baby. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” she whispered. “It’s stupid.”

“What is?” Her eyes opened. I was shocked I didn’t fall back on my ass from the pain and almost betrayal that stared at me head on.

“You guys…” Her voice drifted to nothing, and her eyes dropped to my neck, “You guys are so hard to avoid, and when I do, you don’t even notice.” My body locked in place as I slowly processed her words.

“Excuse me?” my voice rumbled firmly, and she sniffled.

“Ignore me. God, I’m an idiot,” she mumbled. “I’m just hormonal, and tired and obviously delu—" And I was done with this fucking conversation. I’d been understanding when Josh suggested we go slow. I’d agreed when Miles reminded us that the timing wasn’t right.

But slow was one thing. Stagnant was another.

I was done for.

My self-control had slowly given away, and before I knew it, I pulled her into my arms, and to my fucking surprise, she let me. I held her close, her body stiff for all of about two seconds before it melted and molded around mine.

“You think we don’t notice? Are you fucking shitting me?” I muttered to the top of her coconut-smelling head. “Jesus, you smell good.”

“You don’t notice. You three have acted like?—"

“We do.” I pulled back and tipped her head up. “Why?” I asked. I watched her blink slowly. Her eyes widened behind her glasses when she realized the corner she had put herself in.

“Nothing. It’s stupid.”

“Nothing about you is stupid. Did something break?”

“What?” Her brows bunched. Confusion marred her beautiful face.

“At the house. Whatever it is, it’s fine. It’s not a big deal.”

“You think I’ve been avoiding you because something broke?”

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