Page 69 of Bloom: Part 1

My throat clogged up, and tender words I hadn’t spoken in ten years couldn’t come. Not because I didn’t care about him. Not because I didn’t love him. People I knew had died because I cared about them.

“Let’s get you into dry clothes.”

“Logan, why are you avoiding the question? You led me to believe you didn’t care about me all this time, but you just told me you’d miss me if I died. Why won’t you ever be straight with me?”

“I acted the way I did because I thought it was better for you not to be involved with me.”

“And now?”

“We’ll see. Let go.”

“No.”

“I’m just taking you back to the bedroom so you can put on something dry.”

“I’m still not letting go.”

He tightened his grip on me. Sighing, I got to my feet with him wrapped around me. Dripping water, I carried him through the house. We were at the foot of the stairs when the doorbell rang.

I frowned. No one came to my home. Bloom was the first person I’d brought here with me.

“Get down so I can answer the door.”

“Nope.”

“Bloom, you’re killing me.”

“No, I’m loving you.”

My stomach fluttered at the sweet words. I’d never have expected someone so dark to be so affectionate. He tightened his arms around me as if afraid I’d slip away.

“If you catch a cold because you’re stubborn, I won’t be happy.”

“I’m warm enough.”

The intercom buzzed again. I pressed the button. “Who’s there?”

A voice crackled over the speaker, “It’s Crowe. I see Bloom’s motorcycle is here, so don’t bother telling me he’s not with you.”

Bloom went stiff and shook his head. Pressing his lips close to my ear, he whispered, “Deny it. He’ll be upset if he knows we slept together.”

I frowned. What I did with Bloom was none of the biker’s business. I had a few choice words I wanted to say to him anyway.

“Come on up.”

I punched in the code to open the gates and the front door. A motorcycle engine rumbled up the driveway, and with a flurry of dust and rubber, Crowe was at the door before I could convince Bloom to get down.

The biker removed his helmet, looking imposing with his incredible height and the hard lines of his jaw.

Bloom hid his face in my neck. “Pretend I’m not here.”

I rolled my eyes. “If you’d bothered to get down and put clothes on, I could have done that.”

Crowe’s gaze was disapproving as he climbed the steps. “You didn’t come home last night.”

Bloom remained silent.

“That’s not how your selective mutism works, you frustrating little shit.”

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