Page 98 of Saving Her

She holds my gaze, her pained eyes punishing me. “Yes, I do.”

“Thank you.” I walk into the room to kneel before the bed. I place my hands on the edge of the mattress and my chin atop them to stare at Tobias.

“Is there anything I should know about him?” Keira inches toward me. “Any medical history or useful information?”

There’s seven years worth of things she should know. All his demons. All the damage. But maybe those ghosts are better left buried until Tobias is ready for the outside world to know.

“He’s allergic to grass,” I whisper. “It’s nothing serious. He’ll break out in bumps all over his skin and he’ll itch like crazy. Just make sure you put him in a bath and give him an antihistamine.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

“And he doesn’t like carrots.” My throat clogs as I recount memories of our time together. “At all. No matter what they’re mixed with, he won’t eat them.”

She lets out a breath of a chuckle. “Stella’s the same with corn.”

“And don’t listen to him if it gets to bedtime and he says he’s not tired. He always is, and it’s ten times harder to get him to sleep if you give in.”

I can’t remember how many nights he’s talked me into staying awake an extra thirty minutes, only to throw an unruly tantrum when it finally came time to crawl into bed.

The kid has always been a master manipulator. At least where my heart was concerned. He knew he could talk me into anything if he tried hard enough. Usually, all it took was a bat of those innocent eyes and a pout of his kiddy lips.

“What time?” Keira asks.

“Excuse me?” I glance at her, confused by the question.

“What time should he go to bed?”

“Oh.” I frown. “He’ll be thrown out of whack because of the last two days. But usually he’s in bed by eight-thirty. A little later on weekends if he promises to sleep in.”

I turn back to him and reach out, sliding a lock of hair from his face. “I’m going to miss you, little man,” I whisper, my throat tightening.

He whimpers, his eyes still closed when he says, “Penny?”

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart.”

He nuzzles into his pillow and lets out a sigh. “Are you leaving?” His question comes so easily as he remains in sleep mode.

“Yes. I need to get to the airport.”

He nods. “Keira says I can call you whenever I want.”

“That’s right. Whenever you like. No matter what time it is.”

He nods again, his face remaining nestled against the pillow. He doesn’t say another word. As far as I know, he’s slipped back into sleep.

Again, so easily.

Without a care.

I lean in, place the lightest kiss to his cheek and begin to drag myself away, only to have him wrap an arm around my neck, holding me tight.

I smile through the heartache. I fucking die through it.

“I love you,” he murmurs.

I close my eyes, pressing my forehead to his cheek. “I love you, too. I love you more than anything.”

I remain against him for a tortured eternity, his hold slowly loosening, his breathing returning to the deep lull of slumber.

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