Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

“How you thought I’d be stupid enough to ever let you go again.”

My heart flitters in my rib cage as I look outside the window to hide the idiotic grin on my lips. I mean, come on. Is he trying to get me to take his clothes off right here right now?

Someone give this boy a cuteness award.

When I look back at him, I squint my eyes and notice he’s bleeding. His cheek is wounded. It looks like Ryan did nudge him after all.

“You’re hurt.” I lean in.

“This? It’s nothing.”

“We need to clean you up.”

“You can play nurse all you want when we get home.”

“Home?”

“You’re sleeping at my place tonight,” he states. “I mean, unless it’s too hard for you to go back there after what happened.”

“No, don’t be ridiculous. I’m fine.”

He nods. “We’re stopping at your house so you can pick up clothes. We only have a week left. You’re staying with me.”

So he does know.

“Kendrick won’t allow it.”

“Kendrick almost got you killed tonight because he put his dirty nose where it didn’t belong, so he’ll have to deal with it. I’m not letting you out of my sight, girlfriend.”

“You are aware that the girlfriend title doesn’t give you the right to control everything I do, right?” I ask.

“Yes, of course. We’re just making decisions as a couple. So we’re going to make the decision together to have you stay with me.”

“In other words, you’re choosing.”

“Yep.” He grins and I laugh.

Haze sighs when I grip his arm and drag him to the bathroom against his will. He says he doesn’t need me to clean his wounds, that he’s fine, but I don’t hear a word he’s saying. I haven’t been able to stop looking at his cut since we got to his place.

“What are we doing? Please say taking a shower.” He circles my waist with his arm from behind.

“You wish. I’m cleaning your wound.”

“I told you I’m fine. I’m starving. Let’s order a bunch of food instead.”

“Sit!” I motion to the corner of the bathtub. He obeys but makes sure to complain while I get alcohol out of the bathroom cabinet. “This is going to hurt.”

“No, it won’t.”

I press the cloth to his wound.

“Ouch!” He winces.

I suppress a laugh.

“Shut up.” He smiles and gets up to tickle me.

I accidentally drop the cloth into the bathtub when I try to move away from him and bend down to get it.