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“You’d take me all the way to your place to take a shower just to bring me back?”

“No, I wouldn’t. How long will the Thompsons be gone?”

“A couple weeks.”

“The dog?”

“They took her with them.”

“You can stay with me until they get back.”

“What? No,” Ryan protested. “You don’t have to do that. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

“Clearly not with Sawyer running around unattended,” I snapped, likely a little too harshly, but that man was beginning to make my blood boil in ways it never had before. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone, and I need to change the dressing on my hand, so you’re coming with me.”

Ryan’s declining health was evident when he stopped arguing. He let me help him into his shirt, then carefully packed an overnight bag while I observed. He was already moving stiffly, breathing more shallowly. “Are you ready?” I asked, prepared to help him walk.

“No. This is going to hurt.”

“I won’t lie to you, it probably will. But I’ll give you my bad hand so we can both be in pain if it helps.”

Ryan insisted on trying to walk by himself, but only wobbled the moment he was on his feet.

“Let me help you,” I insisted.

“Are you sure you want me touching you?”

I rolled my eyes, wrapping my arm around his waist. “Let’s go.”

I didn’t let on that my heart was racing in my chest, and I hoped that he couldn’t feel it. Ryan pressed against the left side of body, and my skin was on fire. At least it was a short journey. I couldn’t help but notice that Ryan seemed uneasy himself. Was he just as nervous as I was?

As we drove, I glanced over to see him dozing with his head against the window. I wasn’t sure how he managed it in such a short drive, but I let him rest. I took the short drive as an opportunity to calm myself down.

It was going to be hell on my emotions to have him in my house for the next couple of weeks. As I watched him sleep, I could no longer deny that I felt… something. I wasn’t ready to address what it was, but I couldn’t ignore it.

It was so much more than him being the interesting new guy.

It pained me to wake him, but I was in no condition to carry him—even if it would have been an easy feat.

“Can you get down by yourself?” I asked once he’d rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Standing next to his open door, his knees were up to my stomach. Ryan steadied himself on the step, gauging the jump. “Um… I don’t know.”

“It’s okay, I can help you.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Just put your arm around my—or just fall on me. That works too.” Ryan leapt into my arms like a spider monkey, knocking us both backward. I wobbled, but managed to keep us both upright with my arms around his waist.

“I’m so sorry!” Ryan shoved himself off me and took a couple unsteady steps backward, struggling to find his balance.

“It’s fine. Let’s go inside.”.

“You damn hillbillies and your ‘move bitch’ trucks…” he muttered as I guided him to the door by a hand on his shoulder.

I barely managed to get him inside before he started to sway again.

“Sit down for a minute.”