Page 12 of Tinley's Daddy
CHAPTER 4
TINLEY
Iwanted to talk to him, reassure him. He had a visceral reaction to every sentence I wrote. Josh was a strong, if not dominant, man, but every time he read what I wrote, he rubbed at his chest. My words hurt him. Like my pain broke his heart.
He called me brave. I didn’t feel brave. I mostly felt angry and mad at myself, at Damon, at the club, and at those jerks who took everything from me. They were still taking things from me.
Josh collected a tray from the attendant and shut the door behind him. My stomach lurched but growled. I sat up on my knees, keeping the blanket fully tucked. He set the tray down on the glass coffee table.
“Take it slow.” Josh handed me a spoon.
I nodded. I didn’t want it to come back up again either. It probably grossed him out. I frowned and stirred the liquid. Big chunks of chicken and thick noodles floated to the top. I tried the broth first.
I lifted the spoon to my lips.
“Wait.” Josh’s hand reached toward me. I dropped the spoon and scooted back.
Tears pooled in my eyes, but I willed them not to fall.
“Oh, hey.” He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to burn yourself. The soup’s still hot.”
I blinked a few times and nodded once. I grabbed the spoon. Steam rose from the bowl.
“There’s nothing worse than a burned tongue.” Josh smiled. He grabbed the glass of ice. “My grandmother made the best soup. I couldn’t wait for it to cool down. So, she’d always put an ice cube in it.”
He dropped two cubes in the soup. I stirred them and they melted instantly. I spooned up some broth and blew on it before bringing it to my lips. I groaned and savored the salty-flavored broth as it soothed my sore throat. I dipped the spoon in and brought it to my mouth but stopped.
Josh’s gaze jumped from the spoon to my mouth and back again.
He coughed. “You need anything else?” He stood up and walked back over to his desk. He picked up his phone but dropped it. He leaned down to pick it up and dropped it again.
I narrowed my eyes and watched him but continued to eat my soup. I tried some of the chicken and noodles and groaned again.
“I’m going to grab a shower and get ready for bed.” He moved toward the bathroom but then came back out and grabbed something from the dresser. He stopped in the middle of the room.
“You are going to be here when I get back, right?” His face scrunched up, but he didn’t quite look me in the eye. Did he think I would leave, or did he want me to leave?
“Please don’t leave.” His tone hit me in the gut. He held his hand out. “Just… I’ll be right back.”
He didn’t give me a chance to answer. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
I finished up my soup and sat back in my corner. Maybe I should leave. The men who held me were being taken care of and no one knew about me. I could grab some clothes and maybe borrow some money from my new friend. From the looks of him, he wouldn’t miss it. I would pay him back. I could get settled and then send the money back to him.
But where would I go? I had no identification. They stopped looking for me a long time ago, if they looked for me at all. I could start over, be whoever I wanted to be, and forget about what happened to me. Pretend like it happened to another girl in another universe. Not me.
I mindlessly sipped the water. The soup settled fine in my stomach. My little corner was cozy and just the right size for me. A pillow and maybe a heavier blanket would make the perfect nest.
I sat up on my knees and looked over at the large bed. It seemed bigger than a king. It would swallow me whole. Damon would put pillows on either side of me when I napped in his bed. He didn’t want me to fall out. I shook the memory out of my head. The pillows against the headboard seemed extra fluffy.
I gripped the side of the couch and pulled myself up. I stepped with one foot toward the bed. My hand remained gripping the arm of the couch. I’d grown attached to it. I shook my head, let go, and stood up. I held my stomach. It felt full for the first time in so long. I covered my mouth and burped. A giggle escaped. Hadn’t heard that sound in forever either. I hitched the blanket over my shoulder and walked toward the bed.
Josh stepped out of the bathroom. A towel covered his head.
I looked back at my spot, but I was too far away to hide. Plus, I’d look like a crazy person diving for an imaginary hiding space.I looked toward the bed and those inviting pillows. My head swirled back to Josh. I froze.
So did he.
He had changed into a white T-shirt. His gray sweatpants hung low on his hips. He gathered the towel and folded it. He looked toward the door and back at me, and his eyes grew wide.
