Page 82 of Wandering in Darkness
“You’re fine,” he says as he grabs my wrists and looks at my palms. “You hurt your hands.”
“I’m manly. It’s okay.”
“Is… is that like a definition for being okay?”
“I’m also womanly… so it’s okay? Fuck if I know, Grayson. All I know is you need to drag me to the top.”
He picks me up, and I enjoy the final ten steps tossed over his shoulder. Like how does he still smell so damn good? I’m over here coated in sweat, blood, and little pebbles that have called my wounded hands their new home, and he smells like we’re going out to a fancy dinner.
“I kind of feel guilty,” Grayson says.
“Nah, it’s fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“Barely,” I say as he holds my hands out so he can look at them. I don’t know if anyone has ever fussed over me after I got hurt. And now suddenly, I’m prepared to play it up so I can get his attention. Have I ever wanted someone’s attention like this before?
He pulls open his bag as he ushers me to sit down.
“I really am fine,” I insist.
“I’m not listening to you. You’re the kind of guy who would cut off a finger and be like, ‘Yep, I’m A-OK!’”
“No, I’d say I’mmostlyA-OK,” I say, which makes him laugh.
“The real question is… did you squish your sandwich?”
“No, no, I made sure to fall right on my face,” I assure him.
“Good. Gotta protect your sub. I guess I could have helped you out by carrying your pack on the way up… huh.” Grayson pulls out a medical kit and begins cleaning my hands as I raise an eyebrow.
“I’m okay.”
“I know, but you can’t hurt your precious fingers!”
“Precious?”
“Yes! You need those precious fingers,” he says. “How else are you going to take the steps back down if you don’t have your fingers to grab on to the railing with?”
“Oh no, no, no. You’re taking the steps down. I’ll take the wheelchair ramp. Bonus points if there’s a wheelchair to carry me down in because my legs feel like Jell-O.”
Grayson laughs as he cleans my hands up and expertly puts Band-Aids on them. “There we go. Now you won’t have a bloody sub.”
“They’re not that bad.”
“Bad enough,” he says, and I realize I could get used to him doting on me.
“This really is such a nice overlook in the evening.” I gaze out over the trees as the sun is starting to go down. It’ll be another hour or so before it sets, but the way it lights up the sky makes it all the more beautiful.
“It really is pretty,” he agrees as he stops me from retrieving my sub and gets it out for me. Evidently, my hands no longer work. But I’m not complaining. Hell no. I’m loving every minute of it.
I glance over at Grayson while he lays a napkin down and even opens my drink. “We could be pen pals while you’re gone. You could send me letters through snail mail. Like, ‘Today, I saw a really nice ass. You would appreciate dat ass.’”
“I would never tease you like that,” he says.
“I don’t care I’m not a child. I know how to handle things.”
“I know you’re not.”
