“I am not trying to hurt you.”I spoke and signed while swallowing hard.
Creed repeated the gesture.
“I just don’t want you to accept less because it’s what you’re used to.”
My hands froze and I bit into the corner of my bottom lip.“I just do not want you to accept less, because it is what you are used to.”
My hands dropped to my sides as my chest tightened while my heart swelled inside me. My hands balled into fist. My stomach did backflips. The sincerity beaming from his eyes made my nerves buzz and my body flood with heat.
“I’m gonna call it a night.” He cocked his head to the side and waited.
Slowly, I lifted my hands. “I am going to call it a night.”
He mimicked the motions then reached over to grab his water bottle before patting my shoulder and leaving the kitchen.
The moment I was alone, I pushed out a deep breath. It should be easy for me to brush off Creed’s words. Summer had made the same points for the most part before but I always just chalked it up to her not liking Rome. Creed didn’t know anything about our relationship. He had only been here a month and half, he didn’t know anything about us outside of the small things he’d learned on the outside looking in. So why did his words make it feel like I needed to rub out heartburn? I loved who I was. I was confident in myself so I didn’t need anyone to adapt to me. But what was this feeling I was experiencing?
Twisting around, I grabbed my mug and stared down at my tea before downing it. Suddenly the restlessness I had been feeling was gone and I was tired.
Grabbing my Kindle I stood and went to the sink to put my mug inside before leaving the kitchen, turning the light off behind me.
Bella popped up from her bed and trailed me up the stairs. When I passed Creed’s door, I paused. I could hear him moving around inside. I thought about him getting ready for bed and displaying his hard, cut chest. I gasped and widened my eyes.What the hell.Quickly, I hurried to my room, breathing heavily with a tight chest.
“Bed, Bella,” I said, closing the door behind me and walking to my bed. Turning my aids off, I removed them and set them next to me on my nightstand. Climbing into bed, I set my Kindle down next to my aids then turned on my side and got lost in thought.
I didn’t want things between me and Creed to get weird. I was enjoying his company and him being around. The last thing I wanted was that to change.
____
After the talk with Creed last night, I decided to try my luck at the hospital. It had been a week since I was kicked out, and outside of what Creed told me when he visited, I knew nothing. It wasn’t fair that I was being kept away from Rome and his parents were punishing me for something I had no control over.
Stepping off the elevator, I pushed a few braids from in front of my face and looked around. To get into the room where Rome was, I had to be paged back. I wasn’t sure if they would allow me but I was going to try.
I walked to the double doors and pressed the button to the intercom. I waited for the nurse on the other end to respond.
“How can I help you?” the nurse asked.
“I’m here to see Rome Thornton,” I responded.
There was a brief pause. “Your name?”
“Nakyra Moon.” I chewed the inside of my cheek and waited again. I wasn’t sure if the ban was lifted or not, but hopefully the Thorntons would allow me back.
I looked around the empty room and shifted on my feet while adjusting the straps of my tote bag on my shoulder.
When the door buzzer sounded, my spirits lifted and I stood straight until they opened and Marisol stepped through them. She stared at me like I was gum on the bottom of her shoe.
“What are you doing here, Nakyra?” she questioned, pressing her lips together tightly.
“To see Rome.”
Her lips pressed tighter and she tucked them inside her mouth. Her eyes ran from the top of my head down to my feet.
“I thought we had an understanding. Right now isn’t the right time for my son to have visitors. He’s slowly getting better and we don’t need any outside germs causing him a setback.”
My tongue dragged across my top teeth and again I adjusted the straps on my purse. “I have just as much right to be here as you two. I’m not sick, and if it’s that serious I’ll wear a mask, but telling me I can’t be by my fiancé’s side while he’s in a coma makes no sense to me.”
A taunting smirk twisted her lips suddenly and she folded her hands in front of her. “The choices I make formy sondo not have to make sense toyou.At the end of the day I’m his mother and I know what’s best for him. Now if you’ll excuse me, I was waiting on the doctor to come and speak with me. You enjoy the rest of your day.”
