Be With Me(31)

When I looked at him, he was studying me closely-­too closely. I averted my attention to the soup.

"I was worried last night," he admitted quietly. "When you didn't answer, I thought . . . well, I thought you were ignoring me."

Holding the container close, I gathered up some noodles. "I wasn't."

"I wouldn't blame you if you had, especially when I've done the same to you." He thrust his fingers through his hair, and as soon as he dropped his hand, his hair flopped back over his forehead. "I don't think I ever apologized for that."

My heart rate picked up. Where was all this coming from? And why right now, when it felt like my kneecap was about to jump out of my leg totally alien-­monster style.

"So I'm sorry about that. And when I made the comment about you just wanting to get laid. I know that's not what you want. You're better than that and you deserve more than that. I know that doesn't mean a lot, but it wasn't the right way, and in the end, it was fucking pointless because here you are and I can't stay away from you." He twisted toward me, leaning his upper body over my legs. "You know about Jack, but-­"

His hip pressed into my knee, and I jerked. My body jackknifed as the slicing pain traveled up my leg. His hand snatched out lightning quick, catching the container of soup before it spilled all over me. Blood drained from my face as I slammed my hands into the bed, clutching the sheets.

"Jesus! What happened?" He jumped up like the bed had bitten his ass. "Are you okay?"

Reeling from the sharpness, I could only nod. Breathe in. Breathe out. Slowly, after several moments, the pain dulled back to a throb. My fingers eased off the sheets, and I forced my gaze up.

Jase stared at me. He glanced at my leg, and then my face. "You aren't sick, are you? You've been crying. That's why you look that way." Before I could respond, he snatched the quilt and flipped it over. "Shit, Tess, your knee. Fuck. I didn't know. I'm-­"

"Don't," I said, voice hoarse. "You didn't know. It's okay."

He raised wide eyes to mine. "How did this happen?"

"I came down on it wrong Sunday night." The lie came out easier than the truth. Guilt immediately settled like a stone in my stomach. Hand shaking, I brushed my hair out of my face. "I think I've really messed it up."



       
         
       
        

"You think?" He put the container of soup on the nightstand. "How much pain are you in?"

I watched him gingerly sit on the edge of the bed. "It comes and goes."

"Me sitting on it didn't help, huh?"

A weak smile appeared on my lips. "It's okay."

Jase reached over, catching the strand of hair that kept falling in my face. He tucked it back. "Have you told Cam? Your mom?"

I shook my head. "I didn't want them to worry."

"Want more soup?" When I nodded, he handed it off. I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, so this was doing my tummy good. "But sitting here with your leg like this isn't helping anyone, Tess."

"I know," I whispered, ducking my gaze. I focused on his jaw as I scooped up noodles. Nice area to stare at. There was a thin blanket of stubble covering his lower cheek, giving him a rough, sexy look.

Jase ran a hand through his hair. "Then I'm guessing you haven't called your doctor?"

Swallowing a mouthful of chicken noodle soup, I shook my head again.

"Okay. Then that's the first thing we need-­hold up." He reached over, sweeping his thumb along my chin, catching the broth and causing me to flush. "We need to call your doctor. And don't give me any shit. We need to do that. And we need to do that now."

He let me finish my soup before he retrieved my cell from the foot of the bed. Handing it over, he waited, arms crossed, until I found my doctor's contact. I had to leave a message, but the call was returned quickly. An appointment was set up for tomorrow morning, and my heart was already pounding with the ugliness of it all.

"I'll take you," Jase announced after returning from the hall, where he'd disposed of the soup container.

"What?" I pushed myself up against the headboard.

He was matter-­of-­fact. "I'll take you tomorrow. He's at WVU, right?"

"Around there, but-­"

"But you haven't even told Cam yet or your mom, so how do you expect to get there? Hitch a ride?" His grin was full of arrogance. "I can miss my classes tomorrow. It won't be a big deal. And if I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't offer. So don't argue with me."

"I know," I said. "But why would you want to do that? Sitting in class is better than leaving at butt crack in the morning and driving for hours. I mean, I'd rather sit through music class." 

He laughed as he sat back down, placing one hand on the other side of my hip. "You must really hate the drive and the doctor to prefer sitting in that class. You missed it today. Your friend Calla's head fell all the way back. She snored."

I laughed. "She doesn't snore. And I know because she sleeps through that class almost every time."

His thick lashes lowered, shielding his startling eyes. "I want to be there for you. Let me."

My mouth opened and the proverbial why formed on the tip of my tongue. Did the why matter? The way things were between Jase and me at this moment confused the ever-­loving crap out of me. Something had changed Saturday night, shifted. He was doing the exact opposite of pushing me away and running. Was I that good at giving head? I almost laughed because that was just stupid.

"Okay," I said finally.

Jase smiled, and suddenly, it felt like I'd agreed to much more than a ride.

I hated the whole atmosphere of doctors' offices-­the white paint, the tacky decorations, and the smell of disinfectant. It didn't matter what kind of doctor you were seeing; the offices were all the same.

An x-­ray had been done before I even saw the middle-­aged doctor. My butt had been planted in the dreaded wheelchair, and I'd been rolled away, leaving Jase in the main waiting room. Once I was deposited in the room where the doctor would see me, I hobbled out of the chair and sat on one of the plastic ones. I was glaring at the wheelchair when the door opened, and one of the blushing front desk nurses ushered Jase inside.

"We thought you could use the company," she said, smoothing a hand over her blond head.

Jase winked as he sauntered in. "She was probably beside herself without me."

I snorted.

The nurse giggled and then hastily backed out of the room. I arched a brow at him. "How did you manage to get yourself back here considering you're not family?"

He hopped up on the table I should've been sitting on. From there, he swung his long legs like a mischievous boy. "I have considerable charm, Tess."

"That's true." I cracked a grin.

"And with said charm comes great responsibility to use it wisely," he continued, eyes dancing. "I only break it out when necessary."

"Good to hear." I shifted my weight on the uncomfortable plastic. Having him back here was good because my nerves were stretched tight. "Thank you again. I really appreciate it."

"No problem. Just remember your promise."

I laughed as I shook my head. "How can I forget?"

"You're going to love it." He dipped his chin, and messy waves tumbled forward. "And you have nothing to fear. I'll be right there with you."

My stomach still lurched at the thought of being on a horse. Jase had spent the drive to the doctor's convincing me to agree to doing a little more than a horsey meet and greet. As in getting on top of one. Jase would be with me, and I agreed because I trusted him. And because it gave me something other than my leg to fret over.

"Cam texted me earlier," Jase announced.

I jerked my gaze to him. His expression was unreadable. "Did you tell him that you were with me?"



       
         
       
        

"Did you tell him?"

"No. He still thinks I'm sick." I wrapped the edge of my ponytail around my fingers. "Did you?"

He shook his head. "I figured he'd ask why I was with you and not him. And then that would lead to other questions, and well, I figured they'd best be answered not over the phone."

"You think answering some of the questions would be best face-­to-­face?" Doubt colored my tone. Considering what Jase would tell him, I easily foresaw that conversation ending with a fist to a face.

Jase laughed. "I'd have to deploy my charm again."

"I don't think that kind of charm will work on my brother."

"Ye of little faith," he said, and his lips hitched up on one side. The devilish look caused my heart to skip a beat.

I pressed my lips together, wondering what would even be said to Cam. Less would be better I supposed, no matter what happened between Jase and me going forward. My gaze glided over the near perfect contours of his face and then down, over his broad shoulders. When I looked up, he caught my gaze and he smiled reassuringly.