Anticipation Read Online Free PDF Page B

the upstairs department right now.
    She eased herself down the bed a little, moving around until she found a cool spot on the pillow. Whatever was going on in her head could wait. She didn’t need to unravel it now. And it was possible — probable — that all the churned-up stuff that was surfacing was just a side effect of having been smashed into by a fast moving piece of machinery.
    She didn’t want things to change between her and Eddie. She never had. He was her rock. Her true north. Her home. She would never trade the certainty and sureness of that reality for anything.

    Blue must have fallen asleep, because when she woke again Eddie was beside her bed.
    “Hey. Sorry, did I wake you?” He spoke quietly, his gaze soft with concern.
    “I’ve only had twenty hours or so of sleep today,” she said. “I think I’ll survive.”
    “How are you feeling?” Again, he sounded as though he was addressing a frail, elderly relative. Someone uncertain and weak. “Do you need anything? Food, water?”
    She narrowed her eyes. “Can you please stop looking at me and talking to me like that?”
    “Like what?”
    “As though I’m about to die in a Nicholas Sparks’ movie.”
    He shook his head. “Only you could be pissed off because someone was being nice to you.”
    “Pardon me for not wanting to be treated like a helpless victim.”
    “People give a shit about you, Sullivan. Live with it.”
    She blinked.
    “Don’t look so surprised. You know we love you,” he said gruffly.
    “Jesus. Am I dying? Did the doctors tell you something they didn’t tell me?”
    “Yeah, they told me you’re a pain in the ass. I brought you some stuff. Where do you want it?”
    She saw her overnight bag, the one he’d given her a couple of years ago.
    “You went to my place?”
    He didn’t quite meet her eye as he opened the zipper on the bag and rummaged through it. “I got you some pajamas, your robe, your shampoo and toothbrush.”
    She studied his face, trying to work out how she felt about him being in her space without her there. Then she realized that someone had had to do it, and, given a choice, she’d prefer Eddie over almost anyone.
    “Did you go through my underwear drawer?”
    “Yep.”
    “I bet you did, you dirty dog,” she said.
    It occurred to her that he’d probably found her vibrator if he’d been in her underwear drawer. She couldn’t stop herself from grinning as she imagined how uncomfortable that would have made him.
    “See anything you want to talk about?” she asked.
    “No.”
    She started to laugh, then caught herself in the nick of time. Having a sense of humor was a health hazard when you had broken ribs.
    “What we do need to talk about is what happens when you’re ready to go home.” He dumped the bag on the floor and sank into the visitor’s chair.
    “Do we?”
    “You can’t be on your own.”
    “Can’t I?”
    “Don’t give me that look. I spoke to the doctor. You’re going to be wobbly for a few days. You’ll need help showering, getting to the toilet.”
    “I’m pretty sure I can handle both those things.”
    “That’s because you’re a deluded fool. Maggie wants you to stay with her and Raf.”
    Blue frowned. She hated the idea of being a burden on Maggie and Rafel. Maggie would be so generous and kind, and the odds were good Blue would be unforgivably rude to her within the first hour. She was used to living on her own. She liked her space.
    Needed it.
    “Or you can come stay with me,” Eddie said.
    Blue stared at him. “Why on earth would you put your hand up for that?”
    “Because I’m a masochist. Obviously.”
    She glanced down at the bed and realized her good hand was twisted around the edge of the sheet. As though she was scared of something.
    She was scared. That was God’s honest truth. Scared of the way her heart had just performed a perfect backflip in her chest because he’d invited her to stay with him. Scared that whatever was going on with her