Page 111 of Fear of Falling

Smart man.

“Sit.” I pointed to the toilet seat as I rummaged under the sink. Wyatt obeyed and I could feel his eyes on me as I grabbed what I needed.

Wetting a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide I moved to stand in-between his legs as he tilted his face up towards me.

“Josie, I’m—” I cut him off by pressing the cotton ball to the cut on his eyebrow. He immediately hissed and closed his eyes. I pulled away after a second and he blinked up at me.

“Okay, I deserved that.” I avoided eye contact by wiping the now dried blood from his face. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that, you didn’t deserve it, and I am so sorry, Josie.”

I gave him a small nod as I cleaned him up.

“I promise you I will never speak to you like that again. I swear.”

I finally met his eyes, brimming with guilt, and I knew he was sorry. I felt proud that I’d stood up for myself. It had been a long time coming, but I was no longer the same girl I was in Uni.

“Good,” I replied, softly tilting his chin up as I wiped at the blood from his lip. His bottom lip was swollen, the cut quite big. The one on his eyebrow wasn’t as bad, but it looked like it hurt—and his eye turned blacker by the minute.

“What happened on the ice?” I asked softly. I felt his jaw tense under my hand.

“That dick, he…”

I stayed quiet, letting him gather his thoughts as I reached over to grab some ointment.

“He kept making comments about you.” His voice was full of venom, and I could feel him tense.

“What kind of comments?” I asked slowly, unsure that I wanted to know.

“I can’t…I can’t.” Wyatt shook his head. Judging by his reaction, the comments weren’t nice, and I decided it was best to let it slide for now.

“I’m sorry I got in a fight.” Our eyes met again as he looked up at me.

“I’m not mad about the fight,” I said, softly dabbing the ointment on his cuts. “From the sounds of it, the assholedeserved it.” Cupping his cheek, I bent down to look at him better. “I will never be mad at you for defending me, Wyatt.” And I meant it—his actions meant more to me than he knew. “What Iammad at is how you treated me afterwards.”

His eyes looked away from mine, a glimpse of shame in them.

“Don’t take your anger out on me. Let me help you get rid of it. That is what relationships are about.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He raised his hands and rested them on my hips. “I was so caught up in the fight, I was blind to everything else. I’m sorry for pushing you away.”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.” My thumb softly brushed across his cheek. “But next time…hit him harder, okay?”

Wyatt laughed loudly, grimacing with pain at the same time.

Now there’s the man I’m falling in love with. Even bloodied, he’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on.

“Next time,” he promised, grinning up at me.

37

JOSIE

“Be careful and let me know when you get there.” My fingers played with Wyatt’s hair at the base of his neck. The team was set to go on another round of away games but thankfully this time was only for two days. Although it felt like they’d just come home.

“I will.” Wyatt’s hands rested against my lower back. The cut on his lip and forehead slowly healing. Ever since that night, things between us had intensified. Every time I looked at him, my pulse skyrocketed. Sometimes it felt like I couldn’t breathe when I looked at him.

I was falling hard and fast for this man. It was beyond scary, because he was the last person I’d expected to come into my life and yet, here we were.

“Are you going to be okay while I’m gone?” His thumbs rubbed the strip of skin under my sweater.

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