Page 81 of After You

10

He was barely keepinghis shit together.

Hannah’s neck…God. She had a metal plate holding one of her vertebra together, for fuck’s sake. And she hadn’t told him. She’d been “fine” when she’d called to tell him about the accident.

She wasn’t even close tofine.

And she hadn’t fucking toldhim.

He’d been right about being bad at relationships with women. Clearly. His own girlfriend, practically his fiancée, had been in a major accident, had surgery, endured therapy and pain, was still dealing with pain issues, and she hadn’t told him a thing aboutit.

Kyle forced himself to say a nice goodbye to Hope. He even managed a smile. But it seemed like all of the things Hannah had told him on the sidewalk on Teal street were suddenly sinkingin.

And she hadn’t had sex in three years. Since him. Jesus, that was enough to rip apart absolutely anything that had been holding his emotions back. He was beyond thrilled that she hadn’t been involved with anyone else. He was also worked up about her being scared of it though. He so wanted to help her find that pleasure again. But he so did not want to do one damned thing that might hurther.

All of the relaxing/energizing/healing/positive aromas he’d just been inhaling in Hope’s shop weren’t doing shit to help his emotional turmoil.

But then Hannah slipped her hand into his as they stepped out of Hope’sshop.

He took a deep breath, worked on not squeezing her hand too hard, and absorbed not just the feel of her, but that she’d initiated it and how natural itfelt.

“Endorphins can also be really good for pain,” she said as they walked along Main. She said it matter-of-factly, looking in the window at the clothingshop.

But Kyle’s reaction was hardly matter-of-fact. “You need some endorphins, Hannah?” he asked.

“I think we both need some endorphins.” She looked over athim.

“What makes you saythat?”

“You’re wound tight,” she said. “I can feelit.”

Wound tight was an understatement. “It’s been an interesting day sofar.”

She nodded and kept walking. But he pulled her around to face him, stepping close. Right on Main Street. And she definitely did not push himaway.

“I don’t get worked up like this about things,” he told her. “I handle stuff. I’m the go-to guy when other people get workedup.”

She nodded again.

“But you—you make me feel things that I don’t know how to handle. And it’s messing with me.” He lifted a hand to the back of her neck. “I hate that you’rehurt.”

She gave him a little smile and said, “Well, while I really want to show you that you don’t have to be everything to everyone all the time…I’m going to tell you something that I think will help you a lot rightnow.”

“Lay it on me.” He’d love to hearthis.

“A lot of people could be doing the things you do for other people—painting bedrooms and washing windows and making pasta and stuff—but there’s something you can do for me that no one elsecan.”

He felt his heart expand painfully. Damn, he really did have a thing for being The Guy. And being The Guy for Hannah, in any way, was dangerously enticing. “Tell me,” he said, his voice low andfirm.

“You can give me an orgasm. Orten.”

Heat ripped through him. “That idea isn’t exactly helping me feel less wound up,” he said. “But yes. Absolutely. I’m your guy. Let’sgo.”

He started down the sidewalk, pulling her along behind him. She laughed and jogged to catchup.

Wound up didn’t begin to describe it, actually. And it was a combination of so many things. It was the fact that she’d trusted him with her secrets. It was the fact that he wanted to take care of her and protect her and make her feel good, and be whatever she needed him to be. But also that she was feeling a little like healing him too. She was worried about how much he did for other people, how much of his life was spent on other people’s lives, and how he needed to relax—apparently. And while he certainly didn’t think there was really anything to worry about, he did like that she was trying to take care ofhim.

They hadn’t done that for each other before.

---