Page 11 of Awestruck at Dusk
Yeah, he was good as new and already back to making me feel uncomfortable with every opportunity he had.
“I uh—didn’t see anything, really. I—”
“Such prudes, you Americans,” William said, taking his stuff out of the duffel bag and placing it on the countertop. “I guess we’re more comfortable with nudity in Sweden. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before you get to see me naked.”
“William!” I widened my eyes at him, grabbed one of those mini soaps from the counter, and threw it at him. He laughed.
“Great, so you agree then? Because I didn’t hear you denying it.”
“I agree with Alice,” I lied, walking toward the door.
But he grabbed my arm as I passed by him and whispered in my ear, “No, you don’t, älskling.” His tone changed from playful to low and husky in a second. “And—thank you.”
“What for?” I asked, looking up to meet his gaze, swallowing a new lump in my throat.
“You know, for being here for me,” he kept muttering. “I appreciate you coming here almost every day to check in on me.” He said it with such warm sincerity that I could feel myself thaw on the bathroom floor.
“Yeah, well … you being here in the first place is on me, so it’s the least I could do.”
“Everything okay in there?” Alice said over the door. “Billie, knock twice if you’re alive!”
“Go!Away!” William shouted with the sharpest edge of annoyance in his voice.
“Your phone won’t stop vibrating! It’s Zara!” Alice replied.
Zara. Nathan’s sister. I’d forgotten about her existence.
“Jesus, Alice! Tell her I’ll call her back in five!” William ran a hand through his hair, seemingly irritated at being interrupted. It was the first time we had time to talk privately in the last two weeks. And now I couldn’t stop thinking about the nature of his relationship with Zara.
“We need to get you to stop thinking like that,” William said to me.Clearly. “None of this is your fault. And I’d do it again if I had to.”
I bit the inside of my bottom lip as I tried squashing the butterflies wanting to take flight in my stomach. And with that, I took a step back.
“Don’t,” he said. “You keep backing away from me. That needs to stop too.”
Alice knocked again. “Zara says it’s urgent.”
As much as my internal voice opposed what I was about to say, I said it, “Why don’t you take that call, and I’ll go talk to the guys about how we’re sneaking you out of the hospital.”
I reached for the doorknob, but William placed his hand on top of mine. “We’re not done with this conversation, Guille.” He released my hand and allowed me to open the bathroom door. “I guess it’ll be easier to talk now that I’ll be back home.”
About that…
“Um, I’m not currently living in my apartment right now,” I said, turning around to meet his gaze. “I’m staying with my father for now.”
Alice handed the phone over to William, but he kept staring at me, his mouth slightly parted. He then stared at his phone’s screen and muted the call. “Indefinitely, or …?”
“No,” I said quickly. “No, of course not. It was initially for a month while they made a few security changes in the building and my place. But they’re almost done, or so I’ve been informed.”
And I planned to move out as soon as I could. My father offered to let me stay as long as I wanted. But I wouldn’t be able to move in with my father forever, although I’m sure that would’ve made him happy.
What I needed was to go back to my apartment. To have my space back.
To be left the fuck alone.
“I’ll go talk to the guys. I’m sure you can’t wait to pull that gown off your shoulders.”
“Can’t wait,” he said, his gaze suddenly becoming hungry. He looked down at my lips for a second, and it almost killed me. “But I might need help with that.”
