Page 124 of Nodus Tollens
All I did was offer him some company and some shaky words. That hardly warranted a thank you.
“I do, though. Besides my mom, he’s never had another woman’s comforting words.” He dropped his mouth onto my forehead and laid a lingering kiss on my skin before pulling back. “His mom doesn’t know the fucking meaning of comfort, and I think that’s partly why he is the way he is.”
To know that, besides his mom, I had been the only other one to talk to him like that made me feel… I don’t know. It made me feel strange. It wasn’t like I had some inspiring, life-changing words or anything, and it wasn’t like we had a long-drawn-out conversation. If anything, it was short.
“Angry all the time?”
Sighing, he flipped onto his back with his hands tucked behind his head.
“Yeah. I hope one day he finds someone that can show him that it’s okay to be happy.” He said while peering up at the ceiling. Lying on my side, I take in every handsome feature of his face. “He deserves it, even if he doesn’t think so.”
“I’m sure one day he will find someone.” I reassured.
His eyes swept over to mine as two little dimples appeared.
“Hopefully, someone like you.”
My lungs seized.
“I don’t know about that.” I chuckled while looking away. “If she’s like me, I don’t think she’d be able to handle him.”
“I think if he found the right person, he’d fall the hardest out of any man out there. I think his whole perspective of the world would shift if he fell in love.”
Though that was hard to believe, I could see him secretly being a softie. I could see him giving the biggest, tightest hugs with that big, burly body of his.
“And has your world shifted since you’ve fallen in love?” I grinned as I slowly started to lean toward his mouth with a look of pure adoration.
“Baby. My world has shifted, spun, flipped in a million fucking somersaults since I’ve met you.” Reaching his hand out, he went to brush the hair from my face and tuck it behind my ear. Immediately, I jerked away. My head went flying backward, and Hayes quickly sat up with a look of fear in his eyes.
“Woah, Blue, what’s wrong?” He searched me head-to-toe for something, but when he couldn’t find an answer, he found my eyes again.
God, I wanted to die of embarrassment. I reacted way too intensely, but I couldn’t take it back now as my face went bright red.
“I… I just don’t like my hair going behind my ears, is all.” I stuttered as I peered down into my lap. There was no point in hiding my ears when I knew he would eventually see them, but still. Being self-conscious was the worst kind of emotion out there. It crept up on you at the worst moments and never left. It always lingered until it would be time to strike again and ruin your mood.
“Why?” He looked saddened by the sudden dejection on my face as I tried my hardest not to sound too ashamed. Unfortunately, I was doing a terrible job at making this less of an issue than it really was.
“It’s stupid.” I swallowed with a forced laugh. “I just hate my ears, is all.”
His brows dipped. As if hurt by my words, he shook his head.
“Your ears?” He said in astonishment. “Baby, I bet you have the most beautiful little ears.”
He tried leaning in closer, but I swerved his advance.
“Ugh, stop.” I chuckled through my humiliation. “They’re definitely not little.”
He saw directly through my pain and refused to join in with my laughter. Instead, his mouth was forming a line, and his serious eyes gazed into mine.
“Then, let me be the judge of that.”
My eyes grew wide.
“No way.”
“Why not?” He pouted.
“Because… I’ve always been insecure about my ears, and I don’t want you to see them.” The truth spilled out as he regarded me with empathy.
