Closer (Stage Dive 4.60)

I slowly opened my eyes and stretched. “Hey. How’d you do at the hospital?”

“Fine. Why aren’t you in bed instead of crashing out here?”

“You’re not the boss of me.” I sat up, pushing my hair out of my face. Odds were I looked like roadkill, but whatever. “Show me your arm.”

He angled his body slightly, displaying the white bandage peeking out from beneath the edge of his black tee and going down almost to his elbow. The suit and so on were gone. Guess his clothes had been stained with blood. Now he wore jeans and sneakers. A much more relaxed look though every bit as hot as the suits. “Eighteen stitches. Not much to see.”

“That’s a lot of stitches.”

“And I didn’t even cry once.”

“You’re such a tough guy.”

“That’s why you pay me.” He rose to his feet, keeping his gaze averted. “Okay, Miss Cooper. You’ve seen my owie. Time for you to get to bed and for me to go home.”

“Where is home, you never said?”

And apparently he wasn’t going to say now, either. Right. Privacy and all that. Professionalism. It was important. I didn’t need personal details about this man no matter how much I might like to have them. Today, the lines had gotten a little blurred. But it was time to put them firmly back in place. Boundaries mattered.

I got to my feet, noting how much smaller I seemed standing next to his bulk. Weird. Yet my heart felt about a billion times bigger and heavier than normal. Maybe I was coming down with the flu. It was as good an excuse as any. A love sickness of some sort seemed the most likely. Stupid me. “Ziggy, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry you got hurt today because of me. And thank you for stopping him. I’d probably be deceased right now if you hadn’t been there.”

A nod.

This was good. This was for the best. Him being distant and professional. Me not being a hot mess. On the outside at least. It would be best for everyone concerned if this thing between us never got started. That would be the adult, smart thing to do.

“Sam said Adelaide would be available to take over for the next few days,” I said. “So you can have some time off.”

“I told him that wouldn’t be necessary.”

“I, um, I think it is a good idea.” So many feelings. It hurt to hold them all inside.

“Respectfully, Miss Cooper, I do not need time off.” He sounded stern times a thousand. Ziggy Thayer was an unhappy boy indeed. “I am more than capable of continuing to do my job.”

“I’ve

made up my mind,” I said, turning my back on him. Dammit. My bottom lip had turned traitor and started to tremble. My eyes were welling with tears. Not helpful at all. I blinked furiously, forcing it all back down.

“May I ask why?”

“Why?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Why the hell do you think?” What an idiotic specimen of the male species. Seriously. I spun back around with a frown in place. “Because you got hurt today. Because of me.”

His gaze narrowed. “Are you crying?”

“No.” I wiped away a tear with the back of my hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. You can go now.”

“I’m not leaving you when you’re upset.”

“Well, I’m not going to stop being upset until you leave.”

He raised a brow. “Guess we’ve got a problem then.”

“You’re serious? Seriously? You’re refusing to leave?”

“That’s right.”