Page 115 of Forbidden Harmony

Her face flushed as she put on her flip flops.She had no intention of returning it to him unless he specifically asked forit. She wanted something to remind her of him.

Jesus, you’ll see him at the barbequesand at ball games, you idiot. Stop being so dramatic.

Her stomach clenched tight. Shewouldsee him and how awful was that going to be? Worse, how would it feel when shesaw him with another woman?

She wanted to barf. She wanted to cry.She wanted to do something extremely dumb like ask Preacher if he wanted to trydating.

Instead, she took another deep breath andslung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed her purse. “Okay, well, thank youagain, Preacher. I really appreciate all of your help. I’ll pop by later thisweek when I’m feeling better and pay you for the um, stuff, from Walgreens.”

He frowned at her. “Why are you actinglike you’re taking the bus home, Addison?”

“Well, I know you’re busy and…”

“You’re not taking the bus home,” he saidin the now familiarstop arguing with metone. He took her bag and putit over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Thank you for carrying my bag in,” Addisonsaid.

“You’re welcome. Be right back.” Preacherdropped her bag and his in Addison’s bedroom. When he returned, Addison wasstill standing by the door and looking weirdly upset.

“What’s wrong?” he said.

“Nothing. Um, so thank you again. Ireally appreciate you, uh, helping me this weekend and letting me invade yourspace.”

“No problem,” he said.

“Okay, well, bye then.”

“You want me to leave?” he said.

Shit. He sounded like an idiot. He’dbrought Addison back to her place because his apartment was a shithole comparedto hers, and he figured she’d prefer to be in her own place and her own bed.But he assumed he’d stay with her. If he’d thought she’d ask him to leave, hewould have kept her at his place.

Oh my God. You know how pathetic yousound right now, right? She doesn’t want you to stay. Go home before you makean even bigger fool of yourself.

“See you around,” he said. He sounded sulkyand like the world’s biggest fucking baby and he winced inwardly before pushingpast Addison.

“Preacher, wait!” Addison’s soft handgrabbed his arm. “I don’t want you to leave.”

He turned to face her, wondering if the reliefhe was feeling was plastered all over his face. “No?”

“No,” she said. “I thought – I mean, when yousaid it was time for me to go home, I thought that you didn’t want to be aroundme anymore. Which, I totally understand because if I were you, I wouldn’t wantto get sick with this cold either, and with my period, I can’t really, um,doanything for you.”

“I brought you home because I figured you wouldwant your own bed, and your own stuff, and, maybe some food that wasn’t takeout.You know, like vegetables and fruit.”

She started to giggle which almost immediatelyturned into a coughing fit, but to his relief, it wasn’t that deep booming raspof a cough even from two days ago.

He rubbed her back until she stoppedcoughing and then said, “Get into bed. I’ll make you tea for your throat.”

“Thank you.” She disappeared into thebedroom and he made her some tea before taking off his boots and joining her. Shewas sitting up in the bed already knitting and she took the cup of tea from himwith a small smile.

“Thank you. It smells good.”

He sat on the bed beside her, propping a pillowbehind his back before opening his bag. He pushed past the extra pair ofunderwear and his antiperspirant he’d shoved into the bag and grabbed his tabletand stylus.

What? No toothbrush?

He didn’t need a toothbrush. The firsttime he’d stayed overnight, Addison gave him a new toothbrush she had in the medicinecabinet. It was still sitting in the holder next to hers in the bathroom.

---