Page 175 of Heal Me, Love Me
Once the door shut behind them, I crossed to Keaton, then stopped between his knees.
His gaze moved over my face. “You’re freaking out.”
“You were out cold.”
“I’m warm now.”
“That’s not funny.”
He reached for my hand. He was the one sitting there on concussion watch with a red mark along his jaw, and he still looked more worried about me than himself.He shouldn’t have been trying to make me feel better. “Ro.”
“I dropped next to you.” I forced the words out. “Coach Isaac had to pull me back.”
“I wish I remembered that.”
I shook my head. “No, you don’t.”
“Yeah, I do because I would like to remember how you came for me.”
“You shouldn’t have needed me to.”
“It was a fight.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you look like that?”
“Because the second it landed, I knew you were out before you hit the mat.” I forced myself to hold his gaze as his fingers curled around mine. “For a few seconds, I thought I’d done something I couldn’t take back.”
He pulled in a breath. “You didn’t.”
“You don’t know what that felt like.”
“No,” he replied. “I don’t.”
I stared at our joined hands. “I don’t care about the win.”
“You should care eventually.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Try to make this easy for me.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” I brushed my thumb over his knuckles, then stopped because even that felt like too much. “You’re sitting here, hurt, and still trying to make sure I don’t feel bad about winning.”
“Because I know you.”
“Then know this.” I cupped his cheek with a hand. “I don’t want to keep choosing my career, hoping we survive whatever it costs us.” He didn’t answer right away, and for once, I was glad. “I’m not saying I know what happens next. I don’t know how we make California and Florida work. I don’t know what Marcos or Grant will say. But I know I’m done acting like losing you is part of the cost I’m willing to pay.”
Keaton looked down, my hand falling from his face.
I waited.
When he finally lifted his face, his eyes were wet. “I don’t want to keep being the person who hurts you.”
