ia's

ed at the words, pressing my palm against my cheeks a

about me. Why did I e

the first time, and he could already see the sour relationship I had with my mother. He could see that we weren't on

ore I forced myself to blink it away. I wasn't go

loudly against the floor and walked fast

couldn't hold it in anymore. Everything I'd been holding in-from Jean,

vered my face. I should have known this was a mistake. I had c

felt so weak, I could barely feel anything. Dragging m

~

ain. Exhausted without doing a single thing, I rolled until I was staring at the c

y, but I pushed through it. After a quick shower an

stopped functioning. Marcus stood by the counter, completely shirtless, muscles shifting slightly a

his was

o make my own coffee. It seemed that I just announce

adn't happened. He even had a small look of pity in h

quickly. "You don't have to be

htly. "I didn't say

rms slightly.

ck to the counter. Before I could argue again, he poured t

half a second be

d, taking a sip as his

He nearly made me

ha

with a certain kind of interest. "Your mom," h

ollowed by a small shake of

n didn't chan

on his toned body and his firm jawline. I took another sip of my

covering

st night. You said she talked about me... that she thought I'd c

that was my answer. "You don't have to fix

ing to fix i

at are y

you fee

," I muttered. Did he really take note of how miserable I look

pulled me out of my thoughts. "It's wri

shaking my head. "I don't

"But whatever happened in Los

"You don't know an

's trying to outrun something that's already caught up to th

t my life there, but a man I met yesterday was so concerned about my healing proc

didn't try to interrupt. "Or at least... I thou

I found out about her at their anniversary party," I continu

cake," he rep

odded. "stu

"You're not stupid for

lancing up a

old me about," he said

first time since yesterday, a

, his voice steady. "Not everyone gets

hiding the way my smile

after a moment, pushing off the coun

d at him

kitchen. "That delica

ke it for me?" it came out softer than I inte

before he nodded, urging me to sit wh

wrapping around me in a way that

I didn't hesitate. I took a bite and moaned, my

ulled at his li

then another. "Okay, no, this is insane," I said,

," he sai

y. "That's not

g closer to the kitchen isla

ite, slower this time. "No, I just

be I

owing my eyes slightly. "

N

my head as I looked back down at

are of how close he was standing, of the way his

g," he said suddenly

slightly

even closer, and my breath caught before

ainst the corner of my lips