Page 72 of Cowboys Can't Kiss

“Let Jackson take care of you. Do it for me, please?”

Riley’s face twists into a pout, and I want to laugh at how adorable he looks.

“That’s mean, Auntie. But I’ll wait since you asked me to.”

Riley seems just as frail as Agnes right now. He’s almost clinging to her and even through the haze of pain drugs, she still comforts him.

“You need to take care of yourself, too, Riley. I need you just as much.”

“I love you.” He goes in for a gentle hug and Agnes smiles as she sinks back into her pillows.

Riley takes my hand as we leave the room and leans heavily into me.

“You okay?”

“Yeah. You’re right about those chairs, but it just didn’t feel right not to be there.”

“I understand, Rye. It’s hard when someone you love is not well and you want to help but can’t. Agnes knows you love her, but she wants you to take care of yourself, too.”

“I know. It’s just…like I feel so damn guilty going home to have dinner and sleep in a bed without monitors and such.” Riley sighs as we reach my truck, and I open the door for him. “What are we having for dinner, anyway?”

He climbs in and raises an eyebrow when all I do is smile at him.

“It’s a surprise, but I know you’ll like it.”

Riley’s soft smile is my reward as I round the truck and drive him home. I picked up the groceries before I went to the hospital and I’m glad I did. Riley’s exhaustion is clear as he leans his head back and closes his eyes.

“Gabe said he already set up an account at the hardware store so we could renovate the house for Aunt Agnes. Six months with no payments.”

“He told me. We have a plan in the works for that.”

The truck is silent and when I sneak a peek at Riley, a single tear slides down his cheek. I want to pull over and wipe it away, but instead, I wait. Something about the way he’s silently holding himself makes me back off a little.

Once I’ve parked in a visitor space and turned the truck off, Riley keeps his eyes closed and more silent tears streak his face. This time I can’t ignore it and reach for his hand over the console.

“Riley…” I whisper and stroke the back of his hand with my thumb. His fingers curl around mine as he sucks in a breath.

“I’m sorry.” He swipes at his cheeks before finally turning to me. “I’m not used to all this. I…it feels like some kind of dream and nightmare all at once.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. It’s a tough time for you and bound to be overwhelming.” He nods and gulps while he wipes at his cheeks more. “Let’s go inside, okay?”

Riley nods and exits the truck while I grab the grocery bags from the back. We walk in silence to his condo and he enters all the codes. It’s not until we exit the elevator and cross the door into his place that I reach for him.

“Rye.” Setting the bags down quickly, I take his hand and gently pull him into my chest. He wraps his arms around my waist and squeezes while he rests his head on my chest. “The first thing I want you to do is relax in a shower or the tub. What do you prefer?”

“God, I haven’t had a long soak in ages. The tub sounds amazing.”

His voice is muffled against my chest, but he sounds a little lighter.

“Good. Let’s get you in then.”

Grabbing the bag from the pharmacy, I lead him to his bathroom as he cocks his head in question. I say nothing until I’ve started the water and put the stopper in his bathtub.

“Bubble bath or bath bomb?” I ask, and he finally smiles.

“Bath bomb.”

Reaching in the bag, I pull out the soothing one the lady at the counter said is great for muscle aches and stress. She said it was amazing when she was pregnant, and that was all the endorsement I needed to buy it. After unwrapping the bath bomb, I set it on a dry cloth while the tub fills.

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