Page 86 of A Lot Like Love
“You won,” she said. “The title, I mean. I heard them announce that you’d won it.”
“No shit?”
She smiled. “No shit. You might have just about killed yourself, but you won.”
He reached for her hand, squeezing it gently.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered as she carefully tucked her head against his chest, one arm around him, palm pressed just below his shoulder.
“I guess that makes two of us.”
Chloe tucked herself tighter against him, tipping her head back to look up at the man she thought she’d lost. “I thought you’d tell me to go,” she said, “that you’d be so angry with me for the way I left that morning…” He groaned and she pulled back, realizing she was holding him too tight. “Sorry.”
“Just don’t go running off on me again, okay?”
“I won’t.” She sighed.
“Because I’m not running from you, Chloe. Not now, not ever.”
She didn’t reply, just listened to the steady beat of his heart, let her head rest against his chest. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she’d rehearsed in her head, but right now the words were hard to find. All she wanted to do was be in his arms.
“Huh-hum.”
Chloe raised her head to see who was clearing his throat and saw the doctor at the door again. He was frowning, not looking impressed at finding her on the bed with his patient.
“It’s time to let Mr. King rest,” the doctor said. “Once I’ve done a full consult and he’s slept, I’ll let you back in.”
Chloe wanted to hold on tight to Ryder and refuse, but she also wanted him to get better and if he needed to sleep, then so be it.
“I’ll be out in the waiting room,” she told Ryder, gently kissing his lips and slipping off the bed. “I won’t leave.”
He chuckled and cupped the back of her head, pulling her down for another kiss. “Go,” he said. “I don’t want you waiting out there all night.”
“But…”
“No buts.” His voice was firm this time, but she could see how fatigued he was. His eyes were crinkled around the sides, lids heavy. He’d just had a major accident and she didn’t want to waste time arguing with him when he should be sleeping.
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning then,” she said, dropping a final kiss to his forehead and grabbing her bag.
“Go find Nate and Chase. They’ll look after you.”
“They already have,” she told him, backing slowly away. “I don’t know what I would have done without Nate today.”
Ryder’s eyes widened, the spark she was used to evident as he bristled at her words. “If he even tries to pull a move on you…”
Chloe laughed. “I meant he’d been great in a brotherly kind of way. Don’t go worrying over nothing, okay? You’re the one I love.”
Ryder’s expression changed again, his mouth opening to say something then shutting just as fast, eyes never leaving hers. She could have died right there on the spot. She’d just told him she loved him, in front of his doctor, and he was staring at her like she’d just announced she was running for president.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she mumbled, raising her hand in a wave and pushing open the door, head down as she hurried away.
“Oomph.”
Chloe walked smack into what felt like a brick wall, only this wall threw an arm around her to steady her and stop her from falling straight over backward.
“Nate,” she said, pressing a palm to his chest and taking a step back. “Sorry, I…”
“Please tell me you’re not running away,” he joked. “I don’t want to be the one to tell Ryder he’s lost you again. Or be the one to have to chase you since he can’t.”
