Page 27 of Wildflower Hearts
“You were in pain,” she stuttered. “I thought you might need my help.”
Noah grunted and shifted to lean against his pillow. He reached to snap on the lamp, and she blinked rapidly against the sudden brightness.
She was suddenly all too aware of her state of dress, and she cleared her throat nervously, not daring to move as he continued to stare at her. “Do you need anything? I brought you a wet washcloth. You have a fever.”
He took the rag from her without a word, hand squeezing it tightly. He didn’t move even as water seeped from the material and ran down his fingers onto the mattress.
“Do you want some water? I could get you some Tylenol. I have some that might help you sleep.”
“I want you to get out.”
“Not until I help you,” the firmness in her voice surprised her, “and don’t tell me you don’t need it because that’s bullshit. You do.”
His right eyebrow rose at her, but he said nothing.
“You need to take something if you’re in pain, and I’m here now. I’ll get it for you.”
“I’m not in pain.” He tossed the washcloth into the dirty clothes basket at the foot of the bed. “I was having a nightmare.”
“What kind of nightmare?”
He looked away. “Why do you care? Shouldn’t you be with Elias right now?”
“Elias doesn’t need me, Noah; you do.” She was hesitant but reached out nonetheless, resting her hand gently on his arm. “I want to help you, but you have to trust me, and let me do that. Don’t you see that I care about you?”
His gaze lifted to hers. “I don’t need anything from you.” He watched a look of hurt flash across her face again. “I don’t want medicine.” He cleared his throat. “I’d like my phone and ear pods on the shelf behind me.”
Nodding, she took a seat on the edge of his bed. He made room, shifting to the wall, and she ignored his gaze. She reached over his left shoulder and spotted the phone next to his Bluetooth earbuds. She felt his weight shift, and concerned, she looked down. “Are you sure you’re-” Her gaze locked on his as he studied her, their faces inches apart. He had inched up to sit taller against the pillow, and it caused her chest to press against him from the angle. She slipped from surprise. Flustered, she reached out to grab the top of the shelf, and the movement only brought her closer to him. She felt his hand slip between them to rest on the naked curve of her hip and inhaled sharply. “Noah…”
Before she could untangle herself, he captured her mouth with his. Shock made her fall even more against him. His tongue brushed against her own, his hand slipping under her tank top, and he pulled her against him. Her hand slipped from the shelf to slide up his shoulder, her fingers digging into the choppy hair at the base of his neck. Everything in her brain was screaming at that very moment, warning bells and alarms whistling, but they were drowned out by the sound of her heart beating rapidly against her chest. Someone moaned, she wasn’t sure whom, and she gasped into his mouth as his hand slipped around the front to cover one of her breasts. She heard him chuckle, smiling against her lips, and he changed the direction of his hand, skimming down her stomach.
Lyla tore her mouth from his, releasing him so quickly she swayed and had to grab his shoulder to steady herself. Noah hissed in pain, and she fell from the bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”
“No, I’m fine. Just go.”
“But-”
“Go.” He turned his head away. “Please.”
Heart thumping wildly against her chest, she scrambled to her feet and practically ran from the bedroom. She leaned against the closed door, and it took several minutes to collect her composure.
When she returned to Elias’s room, she slipped under the covers. She turned away from him, curling herself into a little ball. Her gaze wandered to the red lights of the clock, and she never found the sleep she so desperately craved again.
Chapter Ten
Elias reached out for Lyla. His search came up empty, the cool sheets drifting under his fingertips. He swung his legs off the bed, stretching before he grabbed a pair of worn out jeans from the floor. He found Mark and Debra in the living room. The television was on, not that it mattered. It was apparent they weren’t paying any attention to it.
Yawning, he scratched his stomach. “You guys seen Lyla?” He heard the back door of the house shut and turned to see herentering and brushing snow off her coat. “Hey, I woke up, and you were gone. You had me worried.”
She flashed him an uneasy smile. She slid her jacket off and entered the foyer to hang it on the coat rack. “Sorry, it looked nice outside, so I went for a walk.”
“Nice, my ass,” Mark yelled from the living room. “Girl, you probably froze your titties off.” There was a loud slapping sound, and he grunted. “Damn it, that hurt.”
Elias shook his head in amusement. “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
“Not right now, but closer to lunchtime, I might be.”
He reached out to pull her close and frowned when she went stiff against him. “You are sure that you’re okay?”
