Page 42 of The Restoration Program

“Do you always have to jump it?” he said exasperatedly. “Why don’t you take the walkway?”

She grabbed her robe from the unused miniature bed and tightened the sash around her waist. “It’s like twenty extra steps to get around to it. It’s only a little jump.”

More rumbling, and then he was standing right in front of the nightstand. His gaze trailed along the NüPrint pathway that wrapped around the room. It would take far more than twenty steps for her to reach the miniature door.

“Do you need a hand?” he asked.

Nicole shooed him off and shuffled to the walkway perched at the end of the nightstand. “I’ve got it.”

Ryan followed. “You know I don’t mind carrying you…”

“Ry, I’m small, but I can walk just fine.” She began climbing the stairs that brought her up to chest level with him. Her legs already protested. “Look, I know you can help, but I need to do some things for myself. It’s important, you know?”

“I guess,” he mumbled.

“I’ve managed perfectly well without you the past couple days, anyway.” She ran her hand along the railing as she walked. “Using these things is kinda fun, even.”

“I dunno, how can I be sure you’re not jumping from furniture to furniture like the nightstand back there? You could break your legs. Wouldthatbe fun?”

“Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not climbing the curtains while you’re gone.” When Ryan didn’t even chuckle or quip something back, Nicole paused to regard him. “Hey—what’s wrong?”

His eyes wouldn’t quite meet hers. “I know we need the money, but I still feel bad leaving you.”

The look on his face made the knot in her stomach tighten. Guilt, confliction—and worst of all,pity. She would have been able to push past it if not for the loneliness of the past days.

His return to work should have been refreshing. She had seen almost no one except Ryan for almost a month, trying to navigate this new side of him—doting, concerned, and overly protective. Though she wouldn’t say it, his behavior had begun to feel stifling on the best of days.

So she never expected to miss him so fiercely the second the door shut behind him last Monday morning. Never expected to feel the clingy inclinations that were better suited to the lead of a straight-to-streaming romcom.

Nicole squeezed Ryan’s finger when he cupped his hand around her. “You’re not missing anything around here, I promise. Unless you count binging the new season ofUK’sHottest Baker.”

This got a little laugh out of him—he loathed the reality show. He sighed, leaning in to gently lean his forehead against hers.

“I caught myself daydreaming yesterday of just tucking you in my pocket and bringing you with me.” Ryan’s voice rumbled pleasantly against her skin.

“I don’t think we’re quite in those dire straits, babe.”

“So that’s ano?”he teased.

“You’d get nothing done,” she said, shoving at him so she could see his face.

“Oh, I think I’d get a few things done. Just not work.” His lips brushed her cheek insistently.

She giggled. “Exactly.”

When he finally pulled back, his stare lingered and sobered, deflating her smile. She puffed out a sigh and averted her gaze. With the thought of the impending emptiness of the now-enormous apartment, his concern was well on its way to making her break down and beg him to stay.

“Don’t give me the puppy eyes,” she groaned. “Come on, I don’t think that getting you fired for being late again is the solution here.”

Without waiting for his guilt-ridden reply, Nicole stepped away from his face and started along the path again.

“Where are you going?” he called after her.

“Living room.”

“Can I give you a lift?”

“I told you, I can walk.” More frustration slipped into her tone than intended.