“Get some rest, then.”
She snuggles into me while I focus on the TV. No goals have been scored yet. I can feel Elizabeth’s mouth and chin move against my chest, but I don’t quite hear what she says.
“What?”
“I said I think I like you too much.”
I grin. “Of course you do. There’s a reason I’m everyone’s favorite Rebel; I’m amazing.”
She tries not to smile, but she fails. “Yes, you are,” she agrees with a happy sigh before closing her eyes and quickly falling asleep.
It’s weird to be lying on the couch with Elizabeth while my teammates are on the ice for a game. Looks like Noah’s being paired with Ian Rhett, or Bruiser as we usually call him. Man, I should be out there. Have I really let the flu kick my ass?
My lungs start hacking and a headache hits me hard as the chills worsen. It’s as if the flu is pissed I think I shouldn’t be laid out because of it. Fuck. I’d topple over if I were to try to stand right now. Man, I don’t know if I even have the energy to stand. Good thing I don’t have to.
I squeeze Elizabeth close as Nathan O’Donnell launches down the ice with a breakaway. Donny has a huge defenseman on his heels, and just when he’s close enough to make his move, Donny circles away from him, swings his stick, and nails one top-shelf. Releasing my breath, I ease my grip on Elizabeth.
Rebels are up by one.
Looks like we have Eric Kelly in net, too. He’s our backup goalie while Liam Irving is our starter. That doesn’t mean he starts every single game, though.
Elizabeth startles. “What if you’re traded?” she mumbles. There’s slits where pieces of white and hazel can be seen behind her eyelids. Maybe she’s in that place where she’s not fully awake, but not asleep either.
“You’ll come with me.”
“M’kay.” She tries to scoot impossibly closer and falls silent. She must be more asleep than awake because I don’t think Elizabeth would simply say “m’kay” to the possibility of moving with me somewhere across the country, or to another country, if I get traded to another team. And considering she doesn’t know if she wants a future with me, I highly doubt a quick “m’kay” will be her response if I were to actually be traded and I was to ask her to come with me.
Hmm. Maybe that’s her real answer. The answer she would give me when all her defenses are down. That thought causes me to do something extremely stupid.
“I love you,” I whisper.
But then, she mumbles, “Love you, Marc.”
And I’m frozen. I did not see that coming.
MARC WAKES UP feeling better, which is good because he doesn’t want to miss more games, but I’m still miserable. There even seems to be a pep in his step for some reason. Who smiles that much when they’re sick, even if they are feeling better?
“Go away,” I grumble when he returns from the bathroom and is about to crawl into bed with me. He frowns, clearly hurt. “You’re feeling better; I’m not. What if you get sick again? You should probably go home.”
He rolls his eyes at me. “I’m not leaving you, Elizabeth.” He lies behind me and wraps his arms around me as well as intertwining his legs with mine. He should leave, but I smile because he isn’t. “I’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
I roll over to face him. “What do you mean?”
“I checked last night before we went to bed, and no fever. I haven’t had a fever since I woke up today either. The team flies out this afternoon, and I’m going with them.”
Before I can stop myself, I kiss him, sliding my tongue into his mouth. Marc has me on my back with him settled over me in seconds. He’s definitely feeling better. The thought causes me to laugh.
“What are you doing?” he asks curiously.
“Trying to make you sick again since you’re obviously feeling better.”
Marc laughs. “That’s cruel.”
“I’ll apologize only if you actually get sick again. By the way, Sylvia texted me this morning. She wants us to come over for dinner once y’all are back from the road trip. Do you want to do that?”
“Sure.”
“Okay. Now, be quiet and hug me until you have to leave.”