Page 31 of The Stalker Snafu

My jaw dropped. “You carry sugar packets around with you?”

Noah’s lips twitched as he held them closer in offering. “I started carrying them on the off chance you ran out. Just in case.”

Wow.

It was a little harder to breathe as the butterflies stretched out comfortably in my stomach. “That’s thoughtful of you.”

I took three packets before eyeing the dignified-looking folders that’d fallen out of his bag. They didn’t look like ones Noah used in class, and my curiosity got the better of me. One was labeled Florez, but I couldn’t make out the others. Each one had a red stamp marking them as confidential.

Interesting.

“What are those for?” I asked, going for nonchalance, and Noah was quick to gather the folders and stuff them into his bag.

“Work papers,” he said shortly, zipping the bag closed and holding out more packets. “More sugar?”

I took two extra packets, sparing another glance at his bag before Noah moved it off the bed.

Very interesting.

CHAPTER 10

Animal Crackers

It didn’t take long for the pain meds to take effect, and apparently the dose was still stronger than what my body could handle because I was giggling more than was natural by the time Julian came in to re-dress my bandage.

“Julian, you’re in vet school, right?” I asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and rummaged through his medical bag.

“That’s what they tell me,” he answered, holding up his bag. “That’s also why I get to carry around this handy-dandy vet kit.”

I leaned forward while Noah rearranged some of the pillows behind me. “Do they teach you about schizophrenia there?”

Julian’s brows rose in interest. “Only what my undergrad psych classes covered, to be honest. It doesn’t really affect animals.”

I grunted noncommittally and swatted Noah’s hand away from the pillows.

“… Is there a reason you want to know?” Julian asked.

“Just curious. Asking for a friend.”

His lips twitched until they broke into a smile, and Noah sighed, leaning against the headboard. His dark hair was a little ruffled, and he looked so sleepy after staying awake all night to make sure I didn’t die. He looked adorable.

Julian made quick work of checking my wound and re-dressing the bandage.

“You’re healing nicely, and it’s close enough to your hairline that it isn’t very noticeable. If this keeps up, there shouldn’t even be a scar,” he noted.

“Really?” I frowned, trying to push back the disappointment. “I was kind of hoping for a badass scar.”

He straightened his glasses. “Why’s that?”

“So I could tell stories about getting into an illegal underground fight with some hardened criminal six times my size. Obviously, I’d come out the winner, but this would be my trophy to make it more believable.”

Noah shook his head while Julian offered me an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but no badass scars for you. Maybe next time.”

Oh well. Sighing, I leaned back against Noah’s chest to get comfortable. He curled an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head.

I had barely snuggled back against him when Julian cleared his throat and stood. He brushed off the front of his slacks before motioning between the two of us. “Well, I’ll let you two continue canoodling. Call me if you need me, okay? Not for the canoodling, of course, but… Well, I’ll just see myself out to the kitchen. Lots of studying to do.”

I blinked at his reddening face, but Julian disappeared without another word.