Page 80 of Major Love

“Jason,” she says warily, her brow creasing in concern.

“I’m going to be honest with you. We got the power at Casey’s place fixed today. But I’d rather you crash here for a couple more nights before heading back to his cabin, so that you’re completely well again and okay to be on your own.”

She breathes out a raspy, ironic laugh. “Jason, I’m always on my own.”

I hold her hand tighter, caressing my thumbs over her delicate wrist. Her delicate wrist that’s on fucking fire, even though shivers are racking her body like a goddamn hurricane.

What does she mean, she’s always on her own? She’s one of the most successful businesswomen in Nashville and she doesn’t have a decent support network around her? I know that Case and her mom don’t live near her, but it gets me a little agitated to think that no-one in Tennessee is standing by her side.

But I can’t deny that it makes me think of something else, too.

The fact that, if she’s always on her own… she isn’t currently in a relationship.

Which brings me back to exactly why I came upstairs for her in the first place.

Because of the Valentine’s outdoor cinema screening that Sunday has always wanted to go to.

I was going to ask her out.

But now she’s sick, and because the screening takes place at the end of this week…

I drop my forehead to the quilt and grunt out a curse.

“What?” she whispers quietly.

I stifle a sigh and lift my head.

“Doesn’t matter, baby,” I murmur. “I was just thinking something.”

“Tell me,” she presses, and I flick my eyes back to hers.

Heat spreads up my neck, making me shift my shoulders as I hold her gaze.

“It’s not important,” I tell her. “Especially not right now. Not while you’re sick.”

She links our fingers together tighter. “Jason,” she whispers.

I wince and glance away from her, but she shifts her body as if she’s trying to recapture my attention.

And, rest fucking assured, she recaptures my attention.

“I’m bummed for us,” I tell her honestly. “Can’t deny it. I was really looking forward to taking you to the movies for Valentine’s.”

She blinks at me for a moment before understanding sparkles in her eyes, suddenly remembering what we talked about the first day I found her at Casey’s cabin.

She’d probably forgotten all about it while I’ve been thinking about it for a full month straight.

She slaps her free hand over her forehead, groaning as she throws herself back down on the pillows.

Then she peeks at me from between her fingers and whispers, “Did you manage to get tickets?”

I hesitate for a moment, considering withholding the truth to soften the blow, but we’ve never pussyfooted around the facts before so I release another exhale and give her a nod.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, looking genuinely upset.

I shake my head. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. You can’t help it that you caught something.” I think for a moment and ask, “You think it’s what Tucker had?”

She starts to nod but then she suddenly pauses.

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