I pressed my face to his chest as I heard what he wasn’t saying. Others hadn’t made it out. He could’ve so easily been one of them. Without even thinking, I crawled into his lap and wrapped my arms around him. Knowing that he bore scars down most of his back, I could feel them under my fingertips and make out the rigid lines of angry skin. How I hadn’t felt them before, I had no clue.
“I had no idea. I would’ve been here. As stupid as that sounds, I would’ve come back.” Tears spilled from my eyes onto his chest. “I can’t believe I didn’t know. If something had happened to you, August…”
He stroked his big hands down my head and back. “Would you have shown up in a cute little nurse uniform?”
I smiled and lifted my head to look at him. “I would be a shit nurse. I would’ve made all your jello, though.”
“God, you’re fucking adorable.” He sat forward and kissed me. “I’m okay. My back looks like shit, but everything functions the way it should. The idea of you running home to take care of me makes me want to go out and break something, though.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t you dare. Even if I can’t have you, I still want you in perfect working order.”
The energy shifted in the room and he stilled. “Who said you couldn’t have me?”
I held his gaze and felt so many emotions bubbling up, threatening to spill over. In the end, I swallowed them down and looked away. “Life? Russ? I think I will sleep for a few more hours if you’re willing to share your bed.”
August sighed and started to move away, but I stopped him with my hand on his arm.
“Stay?”
He brushed my hair out of my face and kissed me. “I’m just going to get you a better ice pack and then I’ll be back. Theo’s ice is already leaking.”
I curled up with Hunter and smiled at August’s fussing. Theo’s ice pack was fine, but I’d made things weird by mentioning my brother. I didn’t blame him for leaving.