Page 37 of Brood

I gape. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not going to work either?”

“No. I’m going to stay with you.”

My throat closes. My eyes burn. I don’t know where the surge of emotion even comes from, but I have to fight against tears.

“Please get in bed,” he murmurs thickly, dropping the towel he’s been drying himself with and pulling on a clean pair of white briefs. “I’ll be in as soon as I get the bandages on.”

“I can do that for you.”

“You don’t have?—”

“I’m doing it.” I manage my best stern expression, standing and waving at him to sit down. “You’re the stubbornest man I’ve ever known.”

He sits down with a little quiver of his lips. “You’re callingmestubborn?”

“Yes. I’m not nearly as stubborn as you.” I sort through the bandages to find one the right size.

“No. You’re not. The word for you is?—”

“Don’t say it.”

He smiles for real. “I don’t need to say it. We both know what it is.”

I make a growly sound as I rub antibiotic salve on the scratches on his face. They’ve already stopped bleeding, which is a relief.

I’m hit with an unexpected tug of tenderness as I bandage his injuries. It creates more of that deep, clenching sensation inside me.

I’ve never felt anything like it before.

When I finish, Will stands up. Very close to me. He gazes down, quiet and intense. It actually feels like the air between us is shuddering for a moment.

Then he clears his throat. “Now you can lie down.”

My knees are getting weak, so lying down is a good idea. I climb under my covers and watch as Will goes to dim the lighting.

He’s still wearing only his underwear. I wonder if he’s going to get dressed.

I don’t want him to.

I start shivering again and turn over onto my other side so I’m facing the wall. It feels like I’m going to cry, and I don’t want Will to know.

He doesn’t like it when I cry.

No one does.

I hear him moving and then feel my bed adjusting. I suck in a sharp breath as he gets under the covers with me. He turns on his side and fits himself against my shape, spooning me from behind.

A gurgle of emotion escapes my throat. I struggle to hold back the sound.

“Are you okay?” he murmurs against my ear.

“I’m…okay.” I’m crying for real now. I thought I was okay, but I’m not.

“I’m sorry he went after you. That shouldn’t have happened.” He’s edged one of his arms beneath me so he can wrap both of them around me.