Page 37 of Save Me
I didn’t bother asking what. I knew he was going to tell me anyway.
“You don’t fight me on things as much anymore,” he said and held up my keys to prove his point. “It was the same this morning. Instead of standing up to me like you normally do, you ran.”
My gaze dropped to the floor. “Maybe I'm tired of fighting.”
He pocketed my keys. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I took a step backward toward the door. “I’m going to be late if I don’t leave now.”
He watched me retreat without stopping me. When I was standing in the hall, I left without looking back. I supposed I’d run away from him again.
* * *
“Bye!”
“See you next class!”
Keelan and I waved at the last of the students as they left the class. Once the door closed behind them, I let out a tired sigh.
“What’s going on, Shi?” Keelan asked as he looked me over. It wasn’t the first time he had done it, either. He’d kept side-eyeing me while we’d taught as if he’d been worried I’d fall over at any minute.
“I’m just tired,” I said and quickly tried to change the subject. “I had fun today. What are we going to cover in the next class?”
He gave me a knowing look. “Nice try.”
My shoulders slumped.Not him, too.It was bad enough with Knox up my butt.
“Hey.” Keelan grabbed my hand. “Don’t make that face.” He pulled me closer, so we were standing face to face. He tucked some stray hairs behind my ear. “You got us all worried about you.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m fine.”
He cupped the back of my neck and put his other hand on the small of my back, pulling me even closer. He frowned down at me. “You really are a terrible liar.”
“So I’ve been told.” I tried to step out of his arms, but he tightened his hold on me. I glared up at him and pushed against his strong, hard chest. “What are you doing?”
“If you’re fine, then you’ll have no problem breaking my hold,” he said.
I stopped resisting. “I don’t want to spar.” I was way too exhausted to keep up with him and the class we had just taught had used up all the energy I’d had left.
He shrugged with a tiny smirk. “Then I guess we could just stand here and talk. I happen to be a great listener.”
“Oh, really?” I drawled.
“Yup. We can talk about anything you want. I’ll be right here with open ears and zero judgment.”
That was super sweet, but I didn’t want to talk. I moved as fast as I could, hoping to catch him off guard, and dragged him to the ground. He was quick—quicker than I could keep up with at the moment—and he had me pinned on my back in two fluid moves.
Pinning my hands above my head, he didn’t look happy. “That was way too easy.”
“Sorry to disappoint you,” I said with zero bite as I relaxed under him.
He released one of my hands to put his beneath my head, snaking his fingers into my hair. “Maybe I should pull your hair?”
I didn’t react as he tugged a little. I just lay there staring up at him. I knew he wanted me to fight back. I could see the pleading in his eyes.
His brow scrunched up as he let go of my hair. “I see you fading away, baby girl. You’re going fast and it’s scaring the shit out of me.”
I didn’t want to scare him. With my free hand, I reached up and cupped the back of his head, pulling him closer. He resisted at first, his worried eyes searching mine. Then he leaned down. I pressed my lips to his, needing to take his fear away and wanting to feel something other than tired and broken.