Page 18 of Unexpected Heroine

When our mouths converge, the gaping hole in my chest starts to stitch itself closed.

It’s not a sensual kiss. There’s no tongue. No grinding against each other. No roaming hands. This isn’t about sex or even passion.

It’s about our souls reconnecting.

When I pull back, she blinks her eyes open slowly. It reminds me of the first time I kissed her. How she seemed to be lost in the moment. Savoring it.

I’ll never take a single kiss for granted.

Especially considering the end is looming for us. When she feels better and starts asking questions that I won’t have good answers to.

And I’ll lose her. Again.

She sighs and breaks our stare, her eyes searching for the sandwich.

When I hand it to her, I toss, “Sorry for interrupting your meal. But I had to kiss you.”

“It’s like you were reading my mind. Because it’s all I wanted.” She picks up the sandwich. “But I also want this. So maybe it’s not all I wanted.”

“Is it hitting your stomach okay? Not making you sick?”

“All good.”

While she continues eating, I start easing toward the hall. “I’ll be right back. Going to get you some pain reliever.”

Her face pinches. “Where?”

“Medicine cabinet in my bathroom.”

She sets the plate down and scoots off the counter with a wince. “I’ll come with you.” Grabbing the last of her sandwich, she drags herself toward me.

While I rifle through the medicine cabinet, she lingers in the doorway leading from the bathroom to my bedroom, watching wordlessly.

After I find and open the pill bottle, she creeps tentatively in my direction.

“James?”

“Yes, sugar bear?”

“I need to use the restroom.”

“Okay, I’ll step out. While you do that, I’ll dash into the kitchen to refill your water. Be right back.” I kiss her forehead on my way past.

She stops me before I get more than a foot from her. “Wait.”

I twist to meet her gaze. “Yeah?”

With her lower lip tucked between her teeth, her chin quivers, and she can’t look me in the eye. “Can you stay right at the door?”

Since I found her tonight, she hasn’t let me stray beyond arm’s length. Not sure why I thought it’d be okay to be clear on the other side of the house.

Stupid, Tomer.

Stepping close to her, I place my hand on the small of her back and usher her the rest of the way into the bathroom. “I’ll wait here. Go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

As she moves the rest of the way in, I expect her to close the door, but she doesn’t. Instead, she leaves it open a crack. And not as if she was careless or forgot to close it all the way. It was a slow and controlled movement.

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