Page 34 of Tangled Hearts (Mended Hearts #4)

I can’t help but laugh, but I’m smooshed between Roman and Nic, so I’m actually quite happy. Especially since it means I can touch Nic, and it’s not suspicious. I have to fight back a gasp when he hooks his ankle around mine under the table.

He keeps it there through the rest of dinner.

“I’m serious,” Holden says, laughing. “He was freaking the fuck out. They called me down from the pediatric floor to help. He was pacing back and forth, losing it, and there’s Eli—sitting on the bed with his broken arm, not a care in the world.”

Nic’s warm chuckle washes over me, and I smile.

“It’s not funny, CT. It wasn’t funny then, and it’s not funny now,” Beck says, rolling his eyes.

Julian throws another log on the fire, then turns back to look at Nic with a grin. “I laughed so hard when Holden got home and told me. Not about the broken arm—about Beck.”

“I can’t believe you freaked out so badly,” Nic says, still laughing slightly.

I turn to him with a grin. “Some people are good in a crisis. And some people are my dad. The one and only time he’s ever yelled at me.”

Beck groans.

“Aww, baby. Are they picking on you?” Roman coos, pressing his lips to Beck’s forehead.

Ugh, they are so sickeningly sweet together. I fucking love it.

Julian sits down, pulling Uncle Hold into his lap as Holden starts giggling again.

“I thought someone had died. I’ve never laughed so hard at a medical emergency in my life.

It’s genuinely astounding to me that I’ve run codes with this man, worked through actual life-or-death situations with him, and he’s losing his mind over a broken arm.

The fracture wasn’t even displaced. A cast and eight weeks, and Eli was right as rain. ”

“Meanwhile, I thought for sure I was about to get my ass handed to me for wrecking the car.”

Beck shakes his head. “No way. Cars can be replaced. You can not.”

That makes me smile. “I know, I know. But I was freaking out pretty badly.”

“You wouldn’t have known it,” Holden says. “I thought Beck was gonna pass out when I got down there. Eli’s just giving me this smug little smile. And waves. Like, ‘Hey, Uncle Hold, fancy seeing you here.’”

A round of laughter goes around the campfire, and Beck reaches over to pat my leg. “Well, I was kind of losing it. And then Eli’s just repeating, Sorry about the car, sorry about the car, over and over.”

I shrug, my cheeks starting to burn. “It didn’t even hurt that bad. I was kind of surprised, actually. But it would be my damn luck that the very first time you let me take your car out, I’d wreck it.”

Beck shudders. “Okay. Shh. Stop talking about it.”

I glance at Nic. “I have pictures of the car that I can show you later,” I whisper.

Nic’s eyes widen. “I don’t want to see the car.”

What? “And why not?”

He rolls his eyes. “The thought of a world without Eli in it? No thanks. I’ll pass.”

“Thank you!” Beck says, throwing a hand up in the air.

“Oh for the love of God, you two. It was a broken arm. I didn’t even come close to dying.” I lean over and bump Nic’s arm with my shoulder. “Wanna go check out the swings with me?”

His eyes dart around like maybe he doesn’t think that’s such a good idea.

“They’re awesome,” Holden says, grinning at Nic. “Sometimes I go out there and swing. Like a callback to the childhood I didn’t get.”

Nic laughs. “You didn’t have swings growing up?”

Roman clears his throat, and Uncle Julian gives Hold a squeeze. “Something like that,” Holden answers.

I wonder when Holden’s gonna tell Nic about his past. It’s a little strange to me he hasn’t. He’s usually really open about it. “Anyway. Swings?” I ask.

Nic stands. “Sure. Let’s go.”

Oh fuck yes. I stand, and Nic follows me across the yard to the edge of the trees.

The second we’re out of view, I take his hand.

He squeezes my fingers as we navigate through the dark woods.

“I used to come out here all the time when I was younger. It was my favorite place to run to when things got too busy in my head.”

He hums, glancing at me. The moon shining through the trees has his face barely visible, but I can see well enough to know that his eyes are soft and open.

It’s how he always looks at me, especially when no one else is around, but also most of the time when they are.

Like he can’t keep himself from letting it show.

It makes my heart full every time. “Is that why we came out here? You needed some quiet in your head?”

When we get to the swings, I stop and turn to him. I step closer. Close enough that I can feel the warmth of his body. “No. I brought you out here because I wanted a kiss.”

He pulls his hand from mine, wrapping it gently around my throat, and drags me to him. I whimper the second our lips touch. He kisses me slowly. Deep. Like he’s been waiting all night to do it.

His fingers flex against my throat, and then he’s letting go, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in closer.

He makes a breathless noise against my mouth that has my knees going a little weak.

With a final soft peck, he steps back and brushes his nose against mine.

“God, my little menace. You’ve been tormenting me all day. ”

I can’t help but smile. “I regret nothing.”

He kisses me again, grinning against my lips. When he breaks away, he’s still smiling. He turns so he can sit down on the wooden swing and pulls me into his lap. “We can’t stay out here long,” he whispers, pressing his lips to my hair. “But let’s sit and swing for a while.”

I nod, resting my head against his shoulder. He settles a hand on my thigh, his thumb moving back and forth as he holds me close. “Thank you for inviting me to your quiet place,” he murmurs after a few moments.

“Thank you for coming.”

He huffs out a small laugh. “I think I’d follow you anywhere, doll.”