Page 85 of The Off-Limits Play

“Grady—”

“I’m fine.” He shoots Carson a warning look, then darts his eyes to me. “Do you need anything?”

“Uh, no. I’m okay. Thank you.”

He glances at my leg and I shift the ice pack, giving him a closed-mouth smile to assure him I’m okay.

With a sad nod, he disappears up the stairs.

Carson frowns after him, then turns to me. “I don’t know what the fuck that was about.”

“I saw him at the party.” My nose wrinkles. “It looked like he got into a bit of a tiff with this girl. She had long strawberry-blonde hair. Looked like a sorority girl.”

“That’s his girlfriend, Teah.” He crosses his arms. “I thought they were super tight.”

“Well, maybe there’s trouble in paradise.”

Carson grunts and nods, then flicks his gaze to my leg. “You should probably get some rest too. Do you want me to take you back to your dorm?”

I shake my head.

His eyes narrow at the corners. “So, you want to stay on the couch?”

I shake my head again.

He closes his eyes, dipping his chin. “Okay, so you want to torture me by lying in my bed. Is that what you’re trying to say?”

“Why would that be torture for you?”

“Because there’s shit I want to do to that gorgeous body of yours, and I can’t when you’ve got a busted-up leg.”

My insides tingle. “Shit you want to do to me? I’m intrigued.”

“Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to stay intrigued, because it’s not happening tonight.”

“Well, it could happen tonight. It’s just my leg. I can?—”

“This isn’t a discussion,” he cuts me off, walking to the couch and gently lifting me into his arms again. “You’re gonna go to sleep and give that leg a chance to heal up.”

I scrunch my nose at him, hating that he’s right. “You’re so bossy.”

He frowns at me. “You need bossing around. That’s not my fault.” His lips twitch, and I catch the hint of a smile.

I can’t help laughing as he carries me up the stairs. “Ah, my knight in shining armor.”

He scoffs. “I’m no knight.”

“You’re something.” I run my finger down his cheek, then lean forward and kiss it. “Something I really like.”

His swallow is thick, and he won’t look at me again after that. Laying me down on his bed, he arranges the pillows until I’m as comfortable as I possibly can be. I glance around his room, noting the light chaos and slight mess. It’s not too bad, though, and it doesn’t smell as rank as my brothers’ bedrooms, so he’s doing okay.

I find it interesting that there are no pictures on the walls or framed photographs. The room is almost barren, like it’s simply a place to rest and maybe get some studying done, but it’s definitely not home or a haven you’d come to relax in.

I wonder where he does relax… orifhe ever does relax.

“You need a new ice pack?”

“No. I’m good.”

---