Page 40 of Luck Be a Genie

When I was finally on the bed, he took the crutches and leaned them against the wall next to me. Then he picked me up and helped me back to the middle, where my pillows were set up, including the ones to keep my foot elevated.

He sat next to me, taking my hand.

“You’re right that most relationships start that way. But eventually they settle into being comfortable with each other, and the couple stops feeling like they need to constantly perform or be on their best behavior. It’s exhausting being like that all the time.” He paused. “You’re not comfortable with me yet?”

I thought about it. “For most stuff? Yes. For some personal things? No.” I winced. “Sorry.” I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I had to be honest. And it might not even be him. I was pretty closed-off in general. I think sharing these kinds of things with another person who got to see the good, the bad, and the ugly was just... a lot for me.

Nick shook his head. “There’s no wrong or right answer, Lucks. I guess I just thought that since we’ve been friends for a while you’d be comfortable with me by now.”

“I am. Just not with everything.”

He nodded, looking thoughtful.

I adjusted my head on the pillow, trying to find a position that didn’t make my neck ache. My entire body was bruised from hitting the water so hard. I hadn’t been in a diving or jumping position; I’d just slammed into it. I finally found a good position and sighed in relief.

“A lot of personal things are difficult for me. I saw this video on social media of this guy helping his wife. She’d just had a baby. He helped her take those hospital underwear off, helped her into the shower, scrubbed her feet...” I had to swallow because I was getting choked up. “And then I thought to myself, could I do that? Could I be that vulnerable in front of someone else? Even if it was someone I loved?”

Nick started rubbing small circles on my hand. “Vulnerability is hard, sunshine,” he said softly. “I think we all wonder if we can be vulnerable with someone we love. I’m pretty sure it’s especially hard for those who’ve been abused. Their trust was violated, sometimes in horrendous ways, by people who were supposed to love them. I don’t think that means there’s anything wrong with you. It just means that the person you choose to spend your life with needs to be a good man who’s worthy of your trust.”

“It also means I need to let him in,” I said quietly.

His grin was tender. “It does mean that, yes.” He sobered. “I’d love for you to let me fully in, Lucks, and be completely comfortable with me, but I know we’re new, and I can be patient.”

I groaned, closing my eyes. “It feels impossible sometimes! It’s exactly like standing in a room full of people naked, just waiting for them to tear everything about you apart.”

“I mean, if you wanted to stand in front of me naked, I wouldn’t complain.”

“Nick!”

He laughed, then settled next to me on the bed, cuddling me against his side with his arm around my waist. “What if, instead of a room full of people ready to tear you to shreds, what if you just found one person in that room. One person who adores you and thinks you’re amazingly beautiful. One person who admires and respects you. One person who feels like you’re the very best thing to ever happen to him.”

I turned onto my side to face him. “The room wouldn’t be as scary then, but... it might still be a little scary.”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “That’s understandable,” he said huskily. “I don’t want to scare you, so I’ll just leave it with... I’m that man, Lucks. I’m the person in that room. And you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.” He gently kissed my neck but continued speaking against my skin, making me shiver. “Life isn’t about trying to find someone to live your highlight reel with you. It’s about finding someone willing to be in the trenches. Someone who will be there with you on your worst days and still count themselves blessed to be beside you.”

I thought about his words for a minute. “I really like that.”

His grin and eyebrow waggle was mischievous and endearing. “So you’re saying I’m the whole package?”

I laughed and tried not to smother him with a pillow. Instead, I attempted to push him off the bed. “You promised me a potion. Please go get me one so I can shower and we can go out to get something to eat without me needing my wheelchair. I’m starving!”

He stood up and saluted me. “Your wish is my command.” Then he blinked out of the room while I snorted at his genie humor.

Genies.

Chapter 15

Lucky

The next day, after healing from the potion Nick had been able to get for me, we decided to do an ATV tour.

As a safety precaution, Nick had found out what ATV we’d be riding beforehand, then blinked over and used his genie magic on it to make it stronger and more resistant to my chaos magic. Something that I didn’t really think was possible. But I didn’t want to accidentally kill anyone, including me or Nick, so I supported his delusions.

I dressed in a pair of dark blue joggers and a big light-blue tee shirt that I knotted at my waist. I wanted to be comfortable today. Scrounging around in my drawers for socks, I hurried to put them and my tennis shoes on, then threw my hair up in a secure bun so it wouldn’t blow everywhere while we were in the open ATV.

Chapstick and a few cards, including my room key went into a zippered pocket, and I was ready to go!

I knocked on the adjoining door, not even bothering to use the one in the hallway.