Page 153 of Pretty Obsessed

"It's not your job to hold it together by yourself."

"But who else is there?"

"Maybe if it's meant to fall apart, it will. It's time you take care of yourself. You can't be everything to everyone all the time. You have nothing left." He was right.

I had nothing.

"You're right. I'm empty."

"I can feel it, love."

I pulled him closer, like if I hid in him, I wouldn't have to face anything else.

Thirty

River Wade

It took me a full day to recover from the emotional hangover. I didn't feel like myself. Thankfully we didn't have a show that night. I would have had to cancel, and Pretty Broken has never canceled a show because of me.

"I'm sorry you have to take care of me." I laid with my head in Emory's lap, eyes closed. We hadn't left the hotel room all day.

He'd ordered food, but I hadn't had an appetite. We'd binged shows I'd never heard of and stayed in bed, something I hadn't had time to do since the band had blown up.

"It's my pleasure, River. You've taken care of me a great deal."

I turned to my back, keeping my head in his lap, so I could look at him. He had a pencil between his teeth and a notebook in one hand, his hair was a right mess, but he smiled around the pencil when he met my eyes.

"How do I take care of you?"

He set the notebook aside and took the pencil out of his teeth. "Do you not know?"

I shook my head.

He bent forward awkwardly to kiss me. "What do you think ownership is?" His words weren't unkind.

"Oh."

He laughed and straightened up. "You take care of me in lots of ways. It's not just the bedroom."

"How?" I didn't feel like I did anything other than my normal behavior.

"You came to the cabin. You didn't know it, but I'd been struggling there. I hadn't been back since scattering my dad's ashes, and you showing up pulled me out of a funk. I don't think I would have been able to finish this book without you." He stroked his fingers down my bare chest.

"I didn't know that. I feel a little bad taking credit for something I did entirely selfishly."

"But it's so much more than showing up, River." He stared off into space for a long time before speaking. "You are different. You aren't annoyed when I work. You don't bother me or sulk. We are comfortable in silence. You do your own thing. We can share the same space and time without needing to talk." He brushed his fingers over my lips. "Your presence is so peaceful. I would never be able to be around anyone else as much as I'm around you and get work done. They require entertainment."

"Again, I can't control any of those things."

"I'm getting there." He put his hand over my mouth playfully.

I licked it.

He narrowed his eyes. "Cut that out or I'm going to want your tongue someplace else."

"I am right here." I turned to nuzzle into his cock.

"Do you want to listen or play?"

---