Page 93 of Romancing the Grump
I’ve always liked Summer’s height, her long legs, but she still looks like a miniature person wearing my pajamas. I like her wearing them. I like herhere,in my space, taking care of me.
She stops a few feet away from the bed. “I’m going to borrow your dryer, if that’s okay.”
I nod. “The laundry room is the first door on the left. Just before the kitchen.”
She nods and moves toward the door.
“Will you come back?” I ask, and she pauses her steps, turning and meeting my gaze. There’s a question in her eyes, like she isn’t quite sure she can trust why I’m asking. Which isn’t surprising since less than half an hour ago, I was barking at her to leave.
Finally, she lifts her lips into a small smile. “Yeah. I’ll come back.”
I close my eyes to wait for her, and I must fall asleep because what seems like seconds later, Summer is beside me again, her hand brushing over my forehead. I lift an arm and beckon her toward me.
Slowly, she settles onto the bed, propped up slightly on the headboard, lying on her back. I wrap my arms around her waist and drop my head onto her chest, immediately deciding this is my new favorite place. Right here in my bed, with Summer beside me.
But then, I have a sneaking suspicion my favorite place might actually be anywhere Summer happens to be.
I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, or what I’m going to think when I’m healthy again and can think about things with any measure of circumspection. I just know I’m too tired to fight.
And it feelsso goodto have her hold me.
“Thank you for coming over,” I mumble into her shoulder. “For everything.”
She strokes a hand down my damp hair. “I’m glad you texted me.”
I lift my head to look at her. “I really don’t remember sending that text. What did I say? Hopefully nothing stupid.”
“You just texted one word.Help.Why didn’t you call when you first started feeling sick? I had to call Parker to even find out you had the flu.”
Lying like this, I can hear her voice through her chest and feel her heart beating under my cheek. Her fingers thread through my hair, slowly working through the tangles. I should have brushed it after I showered, but that would have required the last of my energy, and I neededthatto get back to the bed. Not that I mind Summer making it her job. Anything that keeps her close, that keeps her touching me, I’m here for it.
“I didn’t call because I knew you’d come. I didn’t want to make you sick.”
“Nathan, that’s silly. You’re supposed to call your—” Her words cut off, and she clears her throat before finishing. “You’re supposed to call yourfriends,”she repeats, emphasis onfriends.Pretty sure that isn’t how she was going to finish the sentence the first time around.
Was she going to say girlfriend?
The possibility thrills me and terrifies me at the same time. It’s not like she hasn’t used the word before. But we don’t have an audience right now, and nothing about the way she’s touching me feels fake.
Summer goes on to tell me about calling her sister, about deciding I wasn’t quite sick enough for her to call an ambulance. I was clearly too out of it to realize any of this was happening, though I do have vague memories of her helping me out of my clothes. But everything before the shower is pretty fuzzy.
“I think I’d like to meet your sister,” I say as soon as she finishes her recounting of events. “Not for the same reasons Dumbo and Tucker do,” I quickly add. “Just because she’s yours.”
“Thank you for clarifying,” she says, a smile in her voice. “She’s always everyone’s favorite twin.”
“Why is that?”
“Because she’s nicer than I am.”
“You’re nice.”
“I know, but not like Lucy is. I’m…I don’t know. I can be a lot. I have strong opinions, and I’m not afraid of saying them.”
“I like that about you,” I say. “But I might not be the best judge.”
“Yeah? Why is that?”
“Because I like everything about you.”
