Page 37 of Silver Sanctuary
“I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”
His sweatshirt slipped over her body, cocooning her in his warmth. She took a deep breath in, peace settling into her aching bones as the scent of his cologne wrapped around her. Then he stepped back in front of her, reaching into the sleeve to guide her arm through.
“I know you’ll be okay. You are the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Lace, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go back on my word. You’re safe with me, and I’m not going anywhere. Let’s get you home.”
Eleven
Lacy stepped into the apartment in front of Nash, his hand still resting on the small of her back, guiding her through the motions. She felt numb. From the medication? Maybe. More likely it was from her brain, screaming at her that she was truly starting over with nothing to her name. They’d lost all their clothes, all of Embrie’s favorite books—she had to break the news to her.
“One second at a time, baby. Remember?”
Lacy nodded, afraid to speak and break down in front of Mae, who was standing next to Nash’s sofa.
“Hey, you two. Hawk went home to make sure Embrie felt comfortable going to sleep, but I’ve been here the whole time in case she woke up and needed something. She went out like a light in the guest bedroom after some hot cocoa. Brie was nice enough to read me a princess story; she is such a great kid.”
“Thank you for getting her tonight—for watching her for me.” She took a step closer to Mae, wincing as the movement pulled at her sore ribs.
“I won’t ask how you’re feeling, because I can see it’s not great. You just rest, and feel better. Nash, let us know if youneed anything, okay? We can have Embrie over for breakfast and I can take her to school today if Lacy needs to just take it easy.”
“That’s okay.” Lacy did her best to smile. “You’ve already done so much for me. I’ll be up and ready to take her to school—I have to open the shop anyway. Flowers won’t keep without me looking after them. And the trailer… that’s gone now. Have to figure all that out.”
“Lacy…” The stern look in Nash’s gaze made her want to laugh. Instead, she just closed her eyes and let her heartbeat sway her body, back and forth. “All right, I need to get this one to bed. Thanks for everything, Mae.”
“Call us if you need anything.”
“We will.”
Lacy’s eyes were still closed, and honestly, she didn’t know if she had the strength to open them again.
“Let’s go, sleeping beauty.”
Her feet moved but the motion seemed disjointed and like someone else was controlling the movements, certainly not her own brain. She needed to remember to tell Nash that she wouldn’t take more pain medicine. There was something about feeling so out of control in her own body that was making her stomach ache.
“Here we go. Just sit down and I’ll get you ready for bed.”
Lacy forced her eyes open, and honestly, it was one of the toughest things she’d had to do.
“Shh. Don’t wake…”Brie. Lacy very clearly wasn’t in the guest room. She let her eyes roll lazily across the room, taking in the dark wood of the bed frame and the sleek leather chair in the corner. Even the air smelled like a more concentrated version of Nash. She was in his bedroom. In his bed. “Nash, no. I can sleep with Embrie.”
“You’re staying in my bed tonight, where I can watch overyou. I’m half tempted to take you back to the hospital and make them monitor you at least overnight.”
“You heard the doctor. I’m fine.”
More grumbling came from behind her, a light flickering on and off almost a heartbeat later. Nash came around the bed, back into her field of vision and that heartbeat she’d just been counting for the passing of time nearly stopped right in her chest. Because there in front of her, was Nash, in a fitted shirt that rippled across his chest and exposed the incredibly sinful ink tattooed up and down his arms.
“Are you in pain?” His worried words washed over her.
“No. Why?”
“You gasped.”
“Oh. That definitely had more to do with this funny little swoopy thing my heart did seeing you like…” Her fingers waved in front of her. “Well, all like that.”
“In my pajamas?”
She let her eyes drop.Good lord!The man was wearing gray sweatpants—the hottest thing she’d ever seen him in—and she was going to have to lie in bed with him all night like that?
“Lace? Don’t lie to me. If the pain is bad, we need to deal with it.”
