There’s nothing left in me! Why the hell am I still dry heaving?
The door to the bathroom opens, but I don’t look. “Turn around, please,” I beg, face in the toilet. “Please, just get out.”
He says nothing, but I hear the door close. I let out a relieved sign into the toilet that he actually listened to me while my hands rest on the seat before letting my eyes fall closed.
Griffin’s fingertips brushing along both of my shoulders in unison startles me. He pulls the hair out of my face and gathers what little I have in one hand, while the other rubs my back in slow, steady circles.
I choke out a cry; the sound echoing in the toilet.
“Shhh,” he whispers. “You’re okay. I got you.”
I lift my head now that the nausea is passing. I lean my bodyback to sit on my heels, but Griffin’s hard body is there. I melt into him without a second thought. His arms fall around me, holding me, keeping me up when I feel like breaking.
“Griffin?”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you here?” I ask again, resting my head back on his shoulder. “I thought you were avoiding me this past week.”
He releases a sigh, angling his head over my shoulder so he can see me. The move forces me to turn my head to face him. We sit there for one…two…three heartbeats. He drops his gaze to my lips for a beat then back up to my eyes. There’s no way in hell he wants to kiss me at this moment after I just dry heaved in the toilet.
“I don’t know why I’m here,” he admits.
My eyes close, but I don’t turn away from him.
His hand comes up, holding the side of my face in the most intimate way. I lean into his palm on instinct, wanting this feeling to never go away. It’s a small move that only confirms everything I’ve been thinking about him for so long. Feelings I’ve been denying.
I want to believe it’s the lack of sleep or the fever forcing me to think this way. But it’s all him and the way he’s caring for me.
The way he showed up for me.
“But I can’t stay away from you no matter how much I try,” he continues.
My eyes open. The corner of his lip curves up the slightest bit.
“You care about me, huh?” I smirk.
“More than I wanted to, sweetheart,” he says, shaking his head as if he doesn’t even believe he’s feeling this way too.
I don’t know what to even say back to that.
This isn’t what I came to Bluestones Lakes for.
This wasn’t my plan.
It’s a twist I’m content with if Griffin keeps looking at me the way he is now, despite how much of a mess I am.
Realization hits me, and I quickly bring my hand up to cover my mouth. He rears his head back in confusion. “I need to brush my teeth. Oh my god,” I say muffled behind my hand, and scramble out of his hold. “This is so embarrassing. That probably smells so bad. I’m sorry.”
I stand and make my way to the sink, putting the toothpaste on the brush before bringing it to my mouth. Lifting my head to look at myself in the mirror and now I want to cry all over again because I can’t believe how bad Ireallylook.
But Griffin takes his place behind me, watching my every move like he refuses to take his eyes off me. Staring at me through the reflection while I brush my teeth, and I can’t stop staring at him either. He puts his hands in the pockets of his sweats, and I swear there’s a smile on his features. It’s just too damn small to even make out if it’s real or not.
I spit into the sink.
Why is brushing teeth so unladylike?
“That was really gross,” I say into the sink. “Sorry you had to see that.” I stand and keep forward, looking at him again through the reflection.
