Page 102 of Delicate Escape

I pushed to my feet and turned to Thea. My stomach dropped. There was a completely vacant look in her eyes. As if she wasn’t there at all.

Swallowing hard, I stepped into her space. “Thorn.”

She blinked. “Sorry, I—what are you doing?”

“Running you a bath. Need to get you warm.”

“I’m okay?—”

“Thorn,” I pressed. “Let me do this for you.”

She let out a shuddering breath. “Okay.”

She slid out of one shoe and then the other.

“Do you want me to leave?” It was the hardest question for me to ask. The last thing I wanted to do was to have any sort of distance from her. But if Thea needed it, then I would give it to her.

She shook her head, tendrils of brown hair swishing around her face. “Stay.”

Relief swept through me. “Okay.”

I didn’t let my gaze dip as she slid out of her jeans and bakery tee. It didn’t matter how tempting Thea’s body was, that was the last thing she needed right now.

When she was done undressing, I took her hand and helped her into the bath. The moment she sank into the foamy water, I turned off the tap. “Too hot or cold?”

“Perfect,” Thea whispered as she slid deeper into the tub.

I lowered myself to the tiled floor, leaning against the porcelain. “Do you need anything? Tea? A snack?”

Thea’s gaze locked with mine. “Just you.”

A burn lit somewhere deep, scorching a path through my very bones. “You have me,” I rasped.

Those pale green eyes flashed brighter. “Thanks for making sure I wasn’t alone.”

“I’m with you. Always.”

I walkeddown the hallway of Thea’s house, flipping off lights as I went. She walked ahead of me, her gait almost drunken. I would’ve smiled if I weren’t still trying to tamp down the fury raging inside me.

Seeing her break down at the knowledge of those photos disappearing was nearly more than I could take. I knew that all of this had scarred her, but today was a wake-up call as to just how deeply. But I’d swallowed all the anger down. Because Thea didn’t need it.

After I’d run Thea her bath, I’d done my best to cook her an edible dinner. It wasn’t one of her gourmet creations, but there was only so much one could screw up with a grilled cheese. Then we’d curled up on the couch and finally watchedRocky. I’d thought that just holding Thea for two straight hours would help soothe the rage.

It didn’t.

The only thing it had done was remind me just how important Thea was to me and of the tenderness she hid from the world. Itreminded me how much I cared. Only it was more than that.Thatwas what I’d realized while holding her.

I loved her. It didn’t matter that Thea was her middle name or that she really had blond hair. I loved the woman beneath it all. A part of me knew I’d love her in any incarnation she dreamt up. Because it washer.

But that knowledge scared the hell out of me.

Thea nearly tripped over her feet, and I lunged forward to catch her. “Careful, Thorn.”

She smiled up at me sleepily. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m wrecked.”

I kept a hold of Thea as I guided her into her bedroom. “Adrenaline dump. It was a big day.”

A little of that smile dimmed, and I wanted to kick myself.

---