Page 50 of Lost
“Would it help if I told you that I’m pitifully awkward?” he asks with a grimace. He takes a small bite of his food as he thinks, shrugging. “Somehow, it’s easier to talk to you now that we’re bonded. Since you can tell what I’m feeling anyway, Idon’t have to pretend or freak out about saying the wrong thing because you know my heart already.”
Oh my stars.I think the universe is finally smiling at me, because I can tell he means every damn world. Paying attention to the bond, I see how sincere he is and I give him the widest smile.
I know it’s not going to be easy, but hopefully this way, I won’t have to fight over every little thing.
“You’re so damn beautiful it hurts,” he whispers. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” I say immediately. “It’s a good kind though, and I don’t feel tired.”
“Good, good. How much do you remember? I’ve been keeping myself busy. I’m sorry I wasn’t with you when you woke up,” he says. “I wanted to be, but I’m the only one home right now and I knew you’d be hungry.”
“They’re already gone,” I say dully, looking down to find my appetite is gone. I can’t bring myself to answer his question, feeling really sad. A tear rolls down my face unbidden, and I’m almost surprised to feel it.
This feels like…rejection.
“Nova,” he rasps. His voice almost sounds stressed, and the sexy low voice is gone. I feel bad, because I fucked with his zen. “They had to go open their businesses. I promise, they harassed me about making sure you eat and are taken care of.”
“I’ve been taking care of myself for a really long time just fine,” I whisper. “Can you find out if it’s safe for me to go home?”
“Safe? Leave? I was hoping that you’d stay,” he says softly.
My hormones are out of wack, and I swallow hard to keep from giving into the sadness.
“I left town because I was a distraction,” I explain. “It’s a long story, but I really don’t want to feel the pain of broken bones I don’t have.”
“Take a breath and tell me that story,” he says, putting his hand on my knee. “Eat for me too, please. Just a little.”
Looking up at him, I see how earnest he is. What helps is that I can feel it through the bond too. He’s whispering for me to trust him through it, and I just can’t resist him.
I don’t even want to.
So I tell him everything. He’s a doctor, after all. I explain about the migraines that aren’t mine, the pull toward Hollis, and the insanity of the last few days where she was kidnapped because my fake father thought my sister was me.
He’s quiet outside of a question here or there, and his eyes widen when he realizes why I need to know if my sister is feeling pain or not.
“I think that they brought your phone with them,” he says. “It’s at least in your van if not. Let’s get your cat so you can make sure she’s okay and I’ll check the van since it’s too cold for you to go out.”
Still being sweet even after hearing that I’m not only a mess, I’m a head case too.
“Don’t call yourself that,” he grumbles, ignoring the way my body flinches in surprise. “Weird things happen every day. This is happening to you, it’s not the sum of your parts. Did you get enough to eat?”
Tyde’s change of subjects gives me whiplash, and I wonder if the way he interacts with the world could be colored by hyperactivity. It makes sense that he may have ADHD.
Looking down at my plate, I realize that I ate more than I thought while talking to him and my stomach is settled and happy.
“Yes, thank you,” I say, watching as he picks up the plates and sets them to the side.
“Come on then,” he says, grabbing my hand as he stands.
“Don’t you have to work?” I ask, following him.
“I have a lot of leave I never take,” he explains. “As soon as Caleb and Lars called me, I called the hospital and took a week off. I don’t even know how those two got my number.”
“The mafia,” I mutter without thinking. Giving him a sidelong glance, I find him chuckling under his breath.
“I should have known that,” Tyde says. “What’s your cat’s name?”
Walking beside him, I look up and admit to myself that the scruff on his face is really sexy, and that I like that he’s taller than I am.
