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“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the answer you’re getting.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Fine. New rule.”

His expression immediately turned suspicious. He knew me too well.

“If I touch you and you actually don’t like it, you can tell me no.”

“That’s generally how no works.”

“Don’t be difficult.”

“I’m not the one drafting touching legislation from a hospital bed.”

That almost made me smile.

I tightened my fingers around his arm. “But you don’t get to tell me not to touch you because you think you’re supposed to hate it when you don’t.”

His expression lost the faint humor. “That’s not—”

“I could die tomorrow. I could run into the woods and never make it back out. Won’t you regret it if you tell me no then?”

His whole face changed.

I knew immediately that I had stepped on something tender.

He didn’t find that funny. Not remotely.

“Don’t say that.” His voice was quiet enough to scare me.

I looked at him.

He leaned forward until our knees nearly touched. “Don’t ever say that again.”

I swallowed. “Okay.”

His eyes stayed on mine.

I probably should have left it there.

I did not.

“Promise anyway.”

His head tipped back slightly. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I spent all day running through the woods. I’ve earned one unreasonable request.”

“One?”

“Don’t ruin this for yourself.”

That got the tiniest breath of laughter out of him.

I held out my hand. “Promise.”

He stared at it. Then he took it.