She could feel how shallow his breathing had gone and how fast his heart drummed against her and that was what truly convinced her that this wasn’t a dream or a figment of her imagination.
It was as real as it got.
Maddy felt herself being slowly moved back inside the apartment while her balance remained seriously compromised.
God, she felt so weak. And yet, all she could focus on was, “How can you be here?”
She didn’t think she’d spoken those words out loud but she felt Nate’s arms tightening around her in answer, and his shuddering exhale brush against her hair.
“I’m so sorry, Mads.” His words vibrated against her ear where her head was still leaning into his chest. She’d never realized how words could both soothe something inside her and hurt so much. The last thing she wanted was to lift her head because what if he disappeared the moment she did? What if she snapped out of whatever this was and discovered that he was still gone?
“So, this is not a hallucination?” she mumbled against him.
Jesus, she sounded like a broken record.
A gentle hand turned her head softly so that their eyes could meet and Nate’s chocolate eyes she’d so missed were there, full of seriousness, brimming with tension.
He shook his head.
Maddy nodded slowly as she let the situation sink in. “Okay. Then I probably need to sit down.” Nate seemed reluctant to release her but he did so anyway.
“Where is your bag?” she asked, frowning at Nate’s empty hands.
“My what?”
Well at least she wasn’t the only one who felt a bit thunderstruck and blindsided. That was consoling.
“You had a bag with you?”
Nate blinked owlishly before looking down at his empty hands as well.
“Yes, I brought you soup.”
Maddy’s eyebrows shot upwards. “You brought me soup?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re sick.”
“How did you know I was sick? A few weeks ago, you didn’t even know my name.”
Nate winced and Maddy felt bad for saying it, though she didn’t mean it as a barb. She was genuinely curious. And confused. Very confused.
Nate’s sigh could have powered a windmill.
“How about we sit down? I’ll explain everything. And you look like you’re already swaying on your feet.”
She gasped.
“I’m not!” She totally was. She just didn’t want to appear as weak as she felt, not right now, not after all the time they hadn’t seen each other. Which reminded her that she must look absolutely terrible. She didn’t have to check to see that she had on the baggiest pajamas she owned or that her hair was probably a whole different creature. But she was sick, for crying out loud. She was supposed to look awful.
She groaned.
“What is it?” Nate looked at her, alarmed.
“Nothing. You’re right, let’s sit down.” Great, was she pouting now? Five minutes in his presence and she’d lost all of her hard-earned reason.
