Page 32 of Falling for His Best Friend

Cam carried Kitty’s small overnight bag up the stairs to Joe’s third-floor flat as Kitty continued to hover anxiously over Joe. He held his left hand against his stomach, over his wound, and took the stairs slowly but steadily.

‘Are you sure you don’t want to come and stay at our place, Joe?’ Cam asked when they reached his door. ‘We don’t have any stairs.’

‘I appreciate the offer, mate, but after two nights in hospital I’m really looking forward to being in my own bed.’

‘Fair enough, but the offer stands. You can take it up at any time if you change your mind.’

‘Is Jess OK with me staying here with Joe for a little while?’ Kitty asked as they went inside. ‘She doesn’t feel like I’m abandoning her?’

Cam hesitated before answering and Kitty held her breath. She hoped she wasn’t upsetting her sister by opting to look after Joe, but she really wanted to do this.

‘She’ll miss you,’ Cam replied eventually, ‘but she understands. Just don’t make it permanent, at least not while you’re pregnant. She feels more connected to the pregnancy if you’re under our roof.’

‘I know. I’ll be back before you know it. Tell her it won’t be for ever,’ Kitty said. Nothing in her life seemed to last for ever, so why would this living situation be any different?

‘Where do you want me to put your bag?’ Cam asked.

‘Put it in my room,’ Joe replied.

‘Leave it out here,’ Kitty said at the same time. ‘I’ll sleep on the couch.’

‘You’re kidding, aren’t you?’ Joe remarked.

‘Why not? I did before,’ Kitty replied.

‘This is different now. You’re pregnant.’

‘All right, I’ll leave you to sort that out. I’m going to get home to Jess,’ Cam said as he backed out of the flat.

‘Thanks for the lift, Cam,’ Kitty said. ‘Tell Jess I’ll pop over to see her tomorrow.’

Cam looked as if he was about to say something in response and Kitty waited, but he seemed to change his mind and just nodded and turned away. Kitty shrugged her shoulders as he closed the door, wondering if she’d imagined the look in his eyes—almost as though he was debating whether or not to say more. He knew where to find her, she supposed, as she turned back to continue her conversation with Joe.

‘I think, with your injuries, your bed is the best place for you. You even told Cam you were looking forward to being back in it.’

‘And I am. But I thought we’d share.’

‘Share?’

‘Yeah. It’s a king-size, there’s plenty of room for both of us.’

Maybe, Kitty thought, but that was before I started thinking about kissing you. Before my pregnancy hormones made me think about sex twenty-four seven. Before I wanted to tear your clothes off…

For a moment she wondered how this was going to work. She couldn’t imagine sleeping peacefully next to him, not with her rampaging hormones. But he was injured—that should dampen his libido—and he hadn’t shown any signs of wanting to get down and dirty with her anyway, so she’d just have to rein her hormones in and keep her hands to herself. It could be a long six weeks. But Joe wasn’t waiting for her to mentally process the situation. He was still talking.

‘…to help.’

‘Sorry, what did you say?’

‘I appreciate you offering to help me out for the next few weeks but I’m only accepting on the condition that you sleep in my bed. I meant it when I said I wasn’t going to let you take the couch. If I thought I’d get any sleep on the sofa I’d take it, but there’s room for us both in the bed. Although if you think it will be a problem, I can organise a home nurse to come in once a day to give me a hand.’

The new, crazily hormonal, pregnant Kitty knew it would test her reserves but she had offered to help. She’d have to summon up the old Kitty and block out all the crazy daydreams and fantasies.

‘Of course we’ll manage,’ she said as she settled Joe on the couch and busied herself with some housework. She put fresh sheets on the bed and put a load of dirty sheets into the washing machine. She put the kettle on and prepared a simple dinner—omelettes and salad—and pretended everything was completely normal.

Joe was back on the couch after dinner but Kitty’s head was aching. Trying to keep busy and avoid sitting down with Joe had its downsides. She’d overdone it when she should have been resting too, and now she was paying the price. It was time for some paracetamol and bed.

She yawned and stretched. ‘I think I might call it a night. Will you be able to get yourself undressed if I go to bed now?’

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