“At least I’m a better patient than Izzy. I’m not calling your name every five minutes to come get my dirty tissues and tell you something hurts.”
“No. I think sleeping through the entire thing seems to be more your style.”
“Well, now that I’ve slept the entire day, I’ll probably be up half the night.” I nodded to the jewelry craft kit he’d brought. “So expect some crappy bracelets when you wake up. Mine won’t be as nice as the one you wear.”
He looked down at his wrist. “I was ten or eleven when my mom got sick. She had muscular problems that affected her legs, so she was bedridden a lot. My aunt used to bring those kits over all the time. Kept her busy.” He twisted the bracelet on his wrist. “Macramé and leather were her favorites. I used to have a lot of them, but over the years they broke or I lost them. This is the only one I have left. I’ll wear your crappy one when this one finally goes.”
Wow. It was a losing battle to not fall a little harder every day. “You know, Hunter, underneath the jackass suit you wear, you’re a really great guy.”
He looked at me a moment before standing. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed.”
Hunter tucked me under the covers and then undressed and slipped in behind me. Unlike the other nights we’d shared a bed, he left his boxers on. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me flush against his body. His hold was so tight, it made me feel like he was afraid to let go. Or maybe that’s what I wanted to believe.
Tomorrow Izzy would be home, so tonight was likely the last full night we would spend together. It wasn’t exactly how I’d seen our final act, but maybe it was easier this way.
About a half hour after we settled into bed, I heard Hunter’s breaths change, and his hold on me loosened a bit. I allowed myself to succumb to the medicinal haze that made my eyelids feel too heavy to keep open.
Early the next morning, Hunter stirred, but I didn’t open my eyes, assuming he was going to the bathroom or something. After a few minutes of him tiptoeing around the room, I felt his lips touch my forehead, and I realized he must’ve been sneaking out.
He gently pushed a lock of hair from my face and whispered, “Crazy about you, sweet pea. I’m sorry.” Then he was gone.
Chapter 31
Natalia
I’d just started to feel better when the dreaded day came. Not great—but good enough to shower and spend time in the upright position. Hunter had come by a few times after our night together—he’d even brought takeout and a horror movie for me and Izzy one evening, knowing how much she loved scary movies.
For the last twenty-four hours, I’d been trying to avoid thinking about saying goodbye, wonderin
g what those words would sound like.
Thanks, it’s been fun.
See ya around.
Anytime you’re in town, stop in. My door is always open to you. And by door, I mean vagina.
Tips are appreciated!
I bounced from sad to angry and back to sad so often, it was just a matter of timing as to which Nat the poor man would get when he arrived.
Unfortunately for him, he buzzed when I was feeling pissy. I didn’t bother to wait at the door as I usually did, to admire his farewell strut down my hall. Instead, I left it cracked open and went back to the book I wasn’t really interested in on the couch.
Hunter knocked twice before pushing the door open.
I waved but didn’t look up.
Awkwardness settled in before he’d even closed the door behind him—at least for me.
He sat down on the edge of the table and took my legs in his hands. “How’s the patient feeling?”
“Better.” Acting like an insolent teenager, I still hadn’t looked up at him.
He waited me out—saying nothing for a few minutes, until I glanced up to see what he was doing. And then he trapped my gaze.
“There she is.”
His smile served only to piss me off further. He looked his usual casual, beautiful self, and I wanted him to look like I felt inside—a mess. I hated that he was so unaffected by our saying goodbye.