Page 4 of Kept for Christmas

“Who was that?” Her voice is soft and calm as she walks toward the coffee maker and sets the dial to brew. Maybe she doesn’t know how late it’s gotten.

“You realize it’s close to seven, right? You’ve been out for so long that the sun’s already set.”

“Oh.” She sets the mug down on the counter and wanders toward me with a soft smile on her face. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but she’s happier than ever. An ultra relaxed, kind of happy. “Well, I must have lost track of time with that nap.” She snuggles into my chest like we’ve done it a thousand times before.

My heart hammers against my ribcage, and though I love that her body is pressed against mine, I have no idea what the hell is happening right now.

Her scent is like cranberries and her skin is velvet smooth. “You okay, princess? You’re acting funny.”

She leans up from my chest and stares at me with narrowed brows. “Yeah, I think so. I’m just tired for some reason. You?” Her gaze holds on me before she tips up onto her toes and brushes her soft lips against mine.

Fuck! What the hell is happening?

My chest tightens and my cock goes hard. “You okay?”

She grins wide and lobs another playful peck on my cheek before twisting back toward the fridge for a bottle of water. “Yeah, baby. Are you?”

“Baby?” I reach my head out and rest it against her forehead. Maybe she’s running a fever.

“Why are you acting so weird? You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”

“Cold feet?”

“About the wedding?” Her shoulders rise and fall, and she wraps her arms around my waist, staring up at me. “You still want to marry me, right?”

What the fuck is happening? NowImight pass out.

I clear my throat and drag in a deep breath, trying to figure how to navigate this question. On one hand, I can’t stress her out. On the other, I want to play into whatever delusions she’s currently experiencing, especially if they lead to another kiss.

I drag in a deep breath and land my hand on her soft face. “Of course I want to marry you, princess. I need to make a call, though. Can I meet you in the bedroom?”

A sweet smile raises onto her face. “Okay, babe. Don’t forget to unplug the Christmas tree. We don’t want another incident like last year.”

Last year? How deep does this delusion go?

Bending down, I land a kiss on the top of her head and ignore my cock as it rises hard against my thigh. “You got it. No incident like last year. I’ll unplug the tree.”

She grins and heads back toward the bedroom as I step out onto the porch and dial Dr. Thorpe. It’s late, but I’m thankful he picks up on the first ring.

“Everyone okay?”

“No.” I swallow hard as I pace back and forth, creaking the heavy pine boards beneath me. “Emma woke up, but she kissed me, and she thinks we’re getting married. What the fuck do I do?”

Dr. Thorpe hums under his breath as though he’s thinking over the problem. “Don’t do anything. You don’t want to cause more stress. Just go with the flow.”

“Go with the flow? She’s kissing me. Did I tell you that?”

“Yes,” he chuckles under his breath, as though this whole thing is a joke. “It’s not common for concussed patients to havealtered states of being, but it happens from time to time. The best outcomes are reached when their stress remains low. Go along with everything and I’m sure she’ll come out of it before too long.”

My brows wrinkle. “I feel like an asshole. What happens when she comes out of it and hates me for lying to her?”

“Are you lying to her? I mean, this is none of my business, but I saw the way you looked at her today, Nick. You’re worried. You care about her.”

“And she’s nearly half my age.”

“That much younger, huh?” I’m seeing the cracks in Dr. Thorpe’s age now. He’s not as on the ball as I thought he was. “Well, all I’m saying is to keep her stress low. If it bothers you to go along with her stories, send her to the Springs. They’ll put her in psych until she comes out of it.”

“Psych?”

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