Page 152 of Mountain Grump
But our arms are still tangled together, so her sudden movement pulls my arm up. And still stunned and racked with the pain that only comes from smashing your nuts, I’m not able to stop the motion. I watch in horror as the back of my hand connects with the edge of Tilda’s jaw.
She lets out a squeak at the contact, and my heart disintegrates.
“Matilda. Fuck.” I yank my arm free of hers and roll her onto her back.
The leg she had between mine, the one that kneed me in the balls, gets caught in the blankets at the motion.
And then I remember her injuries.
“Feet! Fuck.” I’m up, pulling the blanket off the bed, before she can get caught up in it more. “I’m sorry. Are you…”
Laughter bursts through my bubble of panic, and I lift my gaze to Tilda’s face.
Her palms are pressed against her stomach. Her eyes are squeezed shut. And she’s not just laughing. She’slaughing.
Full-body shakes. Legs crossed. The kind of laughing that makes your eyes water and your stomach hurt.
The tension drops from my shoulders, and I heave out a breath. “Dammit, Matilda.”
She keeps laughing, but she pries her eyes open. “Sorry.” Her voice hiccups. “Sorry.”
I place my hands on my hips. “For laughing? Or for making me punch you in the face after you kneed me in the nuts?”
Tilda closes her eyes again as her laughter gets louder.
She waves her hand like she’s trying to apologize again but can’t form words.
I wait.
“Feet!” She tries to mimic my voice. “Fuck.” She tries. But she’s hardly able to breathe.
I shake my head. And wait her out.
“Sorry.” She snickers around the word, finally sounding like she means it.
“Is your chin okay?” I can’t join her humor until I know for sure that I didn’t hurt her.
Tilda wipes at her cheeks. “Man, I needed that.”
Tilda’s eyes are sparkling. Her purple hair is spread across the pillow. And she looks like a sleepy Mountain Fairy, napping in my cabin, wearing my clothes.
MyMountain Fairy.
I inhale as the memory of yesterday shimmers between us.
My wife.
I exhale. “Matilda. Did I hurt you?”
She shakes her head as she looks up at me. “Swear you didn’t. Barely grazed me.” She reaches up and runs her fingers along her jaw.
“Promise?”
Her smile is softer. “Promise. Didn’t hurt at all.”
I relax the rest of the way. “Good.”
Tilda’s smile turns into a grimace. “I’d ask if I hurt you, but I’m pretty sure I know the answer. I’m really sorry about that. Whatever I was dreaming about made me jerk myself awake and…” Her eyes drop to the front of my pants. “I would never hurtthaton purpose. Sorry.”
