Page 84 of Under Control

“Are you buying something new?”

“I’m investing.”

But being circumspect wasn’t helpful because Danica looked crushed. Carrick swallowed harder, hating it. The only reason he wasn’t telling her was that he didn’t want to give up the one good surprise he had up his sleeve. He wanted to blurt out what he was investing in, but he didn’t want to ruin it.

“Dani—” he started again, trying to find words for what he needed to say to her.

But in trying to talk, he found himself coughing.

Danica leaped forward to his bedside, looking at the beeping on the machine before realizing it was fine. As a nurse, she knew how to read those damn things.

“Are you going to be okay?” she whispered, her skin tone white, as she fingered the machine controlling the IV drip.

Carrick let a wide grin cross his lips. “That depends on if you’re planning on marrying me or not.”

Her whole body froze, and she looked back to him. It wasn’t the reaction he was hoping for.

“You didn’t forget, did you?” he pushed on, trying to keep his tone light, but unable to mask the determination in his voice.

She shook her head sharply. “No, I didn’t forget. I thought you did.”

He slid his hand up, reaching for hers that dangled at her side. As he wrapped it around hers, he found she was cold and stiff.Maybe she needs the hospital bed more than I do, he thought, as his mind turned to bringing her into the bed with him.

She squeezed back as she connected with him, and he tugged her over to him until she was as close as she could get without falling in altogether.

“Hey.” He held her hand close to his chest, feeling her despondency.

Her pain.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

She nodded fast—too fast. And she scrunched her face with obvious pain and tears started welling at her eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he tried to assure her.

“What if something happens to you?” she cried, a small, vulnerable voice shooting through. “What if you don’t get better?” Her eyes grew big and concerned as her breathing became heavy.

“I will be fine. I’m tough,” he assured her, knowing exactly why she was so upset. “You’ve been here before?”

She nodded, using one hand to wipe her tears and keeping the other hand with his.

“Carrick, I can’t explain what it was like watching your bloody body rolled down the same hallway where I last saw my parents…”

But then her words stopped, and she closed her eyes. His own throat grew stiff as he watched her break down. It was fucking impossible to see. How could such an amazing young woman be forced to go through so much? His jaw tightened as he experienced every feeling he’d never wanted to have for years.

Finally, her inhalation grew stable, and the tears stopped. He could only guess she was trying to control her reaction and not to completely lose it. Only when she’d recovered did she open her eyes, tilting her head as she studied him.

“Are you crying?”

“No.” Carrick blinked his eyes, realizing they were dewy. “It’s the meds.”

A wide grin spread across her perfect lips, her gorgeous smile uplifting him in a way he desperately needed. It was clear that there was something everlasting between them, and Carrick knew what he had to do.

“I’m sorry, Dani,” he conceded. “I should have told you everything.”

Danica nodded, understanding and forgiveness crossing her face. It was then that he knew that he still had her…very much so.

But he damn well didn’t deserve her.

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