First, she tried knocking on the front door, juggling the food and hoping the plastic bag didn’t rip. After a minute or two with no answer, she tried the knob and mentally crossed her fingers that it was unlocked. Wanting to do a little jig when it turned easily in her hand, she poked her head into the house. Feeling slightly uncomfortable because Nix had never given her a key, she called out to announce her presence.
“Nix?” Not hearing a response didn’t worry her too much considering his last text had said he was going to take a pain pill. Every time she had taken prescription meds, they were normally followed by some heavy-duty sleep.
This was only the second time she had been in his house, which now that she thought about it was a little weird. Nix had wormed his way into every single part of her life, yet she wasn’t really part of his when it came down to it. He had keys to her house, her shed, and even her car while this was only her second visit into his domain. When they had first started seeing each other regularly, she had asked if they should hang out at his place part of the time. Nix had quickly explained that with Junior staying with her, it was probably a good idea to keep him around her home because it was familiar to him. The suggestion had made sense at the time because it had been easier for her overall.
Walking through his spotless house, Louise set the food on his kitchen island. Opening the fridge, she checked to make sure he had the essentials stocked in case he needed something. There was no way he would want to navigate a grocery store on crutches, and he was too proud to use one of those electric carts no matter how much he might need one.
Louise was impressed to see that his fridge was better stocked than her own. Not only that, but the expiration dates listed on his milk were farther out than her own, which reminded her that she needed to make a trip to the store for herself sometime soon.
Moving through the house, she remembered where his bedroom was from the tour he had given her on their first date. Noticing that his door was cracked she quietly peeked inside. The blackout curtains that covered the large windows made it almost impossible to see anything except for his large form sprawled across the bed. One leg was propped up outside of the blanket that covered him. The foot was wrapped in an ace bandage, but still looking swollen and angry even from where she stood.
There were pill bottles beside the bed as well as half of a bottle of water, showing that he had indeed taken his meds before lying down. Louise stared at him for a couple of moments before she closed the door and went back into the living room.
Unsure what exactly she was supposed to do, she noted the time and figured that she would give him another half an hour before trying to see if he was hungry enough to eat the food that she had picked up. After all, it was now dinner time and she knew he needed to eat if he wanted to keep taking his meds.
Louise spent the next thirty minutes straightening magazines and picking up odds and ends from the counter tops. She even started a load of laundry, hauled out the trash and recycling, and grabbed the mail.
It wasn’t long before she was sitting in the living room staring at the clock and watching it countdown to the time she figured it would be safe to wake him. Almost as if he had known what her plan was, Louise heard Nix moving around in his bedroom. When she heard the bed squeak followed by some curses, she realized he was either getting up or he had rolled over and forgotten about his foot. Moving faster to help him if needed, she almost skidded down the hallway in her hurry to help.
“Holy—” Nix bit off the curse as he stood framed in the master bedroom door in nothing but his tight boxer briefs. “Lou? What are you doing here?”
Well, that wasn’t the reception she had hoped to get but she would work with it. “I came to bring you dinner and make sure you were taken care of. Is it time for another pain pill?”
Nix looked beyond confused as he simply stared at her, one hand braced on the doorframe to keep himself steady.
“You still waking up?” Louise walked over and hugged him, frowning when he stayed stiff in her embrace. “Do you feel sick? Sometimes pain meds make my stomach turn inside out. Do you need help getting to the bathroom?”
“Ummm…no. I feel okay. I’m just not sure why you’re here,” Nix answered, not meeting her eyes.
Louise frowned. “You’re hurt. Why wouldn’t I be here?”
“I told you I would text you tomorrow. Didn’t you get my text?”
Louise stepped back from the cold look on his face, the cold expression pointed her way, making her uncomfortable. “Yeah, I got it, but I wanted to make sure you were taken care of.”
“Oh.” Nix shrugged and started to hop toward the bathroom door on the opposite wall from where he was standing.
“Didn’t you get crutches from the hospital?” Moving quickly to stabilize him, Louise looked around for the crutches she assumed he had.
Barely putting any of his weight on her shoulders, Nix let her place his arm over her shoulder before answering, “No, I didn’t want them.”
“Well that was just stupid,” Louise mumbled, not sure why he was so short with her.
“Yeah, I guess I wasn’t thinking it through very well. You said you brought food?” Nix asked, just before his stomach rumbled.
“Yep, I grabbed a bucket of chicken and some other stuff to munch on.”
“You don’t need to stay,” Nix said right before he shoved the bathroom door closed behind him.
Almost nose to nose with the wooden partition, Louise made a face at the woodgrain before saying, “I know I don’t.”
The toilet flushed just a few seconds before the door opened again. “What did you say?”
“I said that I know I don’t need to stay,” Louise snapped, her patience having left after the first few minutes of him being awake.
“How did you get in, anyway?” Nix looked confused as he hobbled past her and into the living room.
“Your front door was unlocked.” Louise stomped behind him, fed up with the attitude he was giving her. “Ya know what?”
Nix plopped into the leather couch and picked up the remote. Giving her a questioning glance, he hit the power button and turned on the television.
“That’s it,” Louise ground out. Snatching the remote from his hand, she almost laughed at the shocked look on his face as he stared at her. “You’re being an asshole.”
“I’m being an asshole?” he parroted.
“Yes, and I’m not going to hang around here while you’re being a dick.”
One side of his mouth quirked up as though he was fighting a smile. “I thought I was an asshole.”
Louise raised her eyebrow and gave him a look normally reserved for Junior when he was in trouble. “Listen, I was worried today when I found out that you were hurt. Not only that, but I couldn’t find anything out because I’m not family, so Charlie basically had to whore himself out to Nurse Phillip for information.”
“Nurse Phillip?” Nix shook his head. “I’m so confused.”
“I’m. Not. Done.” Louise stared him down while she paced in front of him. The nervous energy inside of her not allowing her to stay still. “Then, when I find out that you’re okay, you tell me not to worry about it. Guess what, mister! I can’t help but be worried. Lord only knows why, considering you don’t want me here.”
“It’s not that I don’t want you here—”
Louise wasn’t having any more of his chatter and held up a hand to halt him from arguing. “Still. Not. Done.” When she saw him sit back against the couch, Louise continued. “So, for however long you need me, I’m going to be here to help you out. If you need groceries, I’m going to go get them. If you need help bathing, I’m here to do it. If you need to eat, I’ll cook your food. Got it?”
Nix simply stared at her where she stood over him. His face remained expressionless. “Are you done now?”
Louise ran through her little speech in her head, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. “No. I want to know what your deal is.”
“My
deal?”
“Is there a fucking echo in this place?” Louise huffed. “Why are you acting like we barely know each other? Is it because I let myself into your house? Because, I knocked but you didn’t answer. Is it because I assumed you needed to eat because that’s what humans do to stay alive? Tell me Nix, what the hell is your problem, because I’m getting a very clear message that you are done with us.”
Louise took a breath and then sank into the recliner that was catty-corner to the couch. “Are you? Are you done with us?” The thought was like a stab to the heart, literally. It was something she hadn’t expected, considering that they had only been dating for such a short while.
Nix leaned forward, putting his foot on the floor before quickly lifting it back up.
“Here.” Louise grabbed a throw pillow and placed it on the coffee table. Pushing the table closer to the couch, she helped him settle his wrapped foot on the cushion before she even realized what she was doing.
“This,” Nix said softly.
“This what?” Louise sat back down, confused by what he said. Had she missed something?
“I hate this.”
“I don’t understand. You hate me being here?” The words she croaked out were a sledgehammer to her breaking heart. A heart that she could clearly envision shattering into a million pieces the more he pulled away.
“No, not that. Never that,” Nix assured her, but still not meeting her eyes.
“Then, what? Because, I can’t figure it out if you don’t tell me.”
“I don’t like having you take care of me.”
Louise sat back, the leather chair whooshing air. Whatever she had imagined, Nix not wanting her to take care of him had not even been in the running. What the hell did he mean by that anyway?
“What?” It was all she could think to say.
“I don’t like you taking care of me,” Nix repeated, his voice harder the second time around.
“Well, fuck you too.” Louise stood up and walked into the kitchen to grab her purse. Seeing the bucket of chicken still sitting where she left it, she opened it up. Grabbing a chicken leg off the top, she took a large bite out of it. She didn’t care if she looked like a fucking caveman. She was done with this bullshit and hangry. The chicken leg was the only thing standing in the way of her flipping him the bird as she walked out of the home she apparently wasn’t welcome in. Eating it faster than she probably should, she eyed the second one, before grabbing it out of the bucket.
Her chicken leg break had given her a chance to realize that if he didn’t want her there, then she might as well leave.
Stomping from the kitchen back to the entryway, she barely noticed that Nix was no longer sitting on the couch. In fact, she only noticed he had moved when she saw him standing in front of the front door blocking her fabulous greasy-chicken-covered exit.
“I left you the bucket, potatoes, and the biscuits. Consider it a parting gift,” Louise said with her mouth full of extra crispy poultry. Waving her second half-eaten leg in the air, she expected him to move out of her way and was surprised when he crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet firmly on the floor.
One of which was broken.
Louise saw the minute absolute pain hit his system. Nix’s face went from his normal tan complexion to an almost sickly gray within the blink of an eye. The blood drained from his face in a matter of seconds as his eyes rolled back into his head. With only a moment to move, Louise tossed the chicken onto his entry table and tried her damnedest to break his fall without hurting herself in the process.
“You idiot!” she snapped as his weight crashed into her, and she tried to support him on the way down to the floor. Louise was smart enough to know that there was no way she could keep him upright, but she’d be damned if he managed to give himself another head injury on her watch…no matter how much of a dumbass he was. Using the door behind him, she pushed his body against the wood with her own weight, and they slid together to the floor. Louise cradled his head in her hands as he sat in a slump with his legs splayed.
“Nix?” Tapping him lightly on the cheek, Louise tried to bring him back to consciousness. “Nix, I need you to wake up.”
“Wahpnned?” His voice sounded slurred, most likely from the pain of forgetting not to put his full weight on his broken foot.
“You forgot your foot was broken,” Louise said in a tone that she hoped didn’t sound too harsh.
“Had to stop you,” he mumbled, shaking his head back and forth as if he were trying to wake up. “You don’t understand.”
“Obviously,” Louise drawled, wondering if Leo or Will would be able to come over and keep an eye on the big jackass so he didn’t accidently kill himself. “Nix, I’m really fucking tired. I had classes all day and then had to cover a hot yoga session because I owed a favor. I stink, I’m drained, and I’m hungry. Worrying about you was exhausting, and I just want to go home and relax. Let me call one of the guys, and I’ll have them come over and make sure you’re okay tonight. Alright? You can’t be alone tonight.”
Nix rubbed his hands against his face as he leaned back against the large wooden door. He licked his lips before speaking slowly as if he had trouble forming his words. “Jesus, I’m out of it. Everything is jumbled. Nothing is coming out right.”
Louise sat back against the small table he had there, wanting to put a little distance between them without leaving him totally helpless.
“Please, come back and sit down.”
“We can talk right here,” Louise grumped, feeling like her chicken-leg-fueled exit was still justified.
“Please?”
Louise eyed him for a moment before nodding. “How are we going to get you up from here?”
“Just keep me as steady as you can, and I’ll use the door and corner for leverage,” Nix said firmly, obviously not wanting to put any more of his weight on her than necessary.
Louise braced him when it looked like he needed it but didn’t coddle him too much as he slowly rose to his feet…or foot in this instance.
Nix didn’t look all that steady as he moved past her to the couch, but she was there for him if he needed it. She barely stopped herself from fussing over him as he shuffled across the floor. His earlier behavior kept her in check. It didn’t stop her from putting the pillow back on the table though, so he could be comfortable while he explained the reasoning behind his assholeish behavior.
“I’m sorry, Lou.” The words looked as though they pained him to say.
“Don’t do me any favors,” Louise snapped, more than ready to leave.
“I’m serious. I’ve handled this all wrong, and that’s on me.”
Louise nodded while she studied the almost bare chicken bone she was holding.
“Can you look at me please, sweetheart?”
Louise felt her nose burn as if she were going to cry.
Mother fucker.
The last thing she wanted to do in front of the man who didn’t want her anymore was cry. She was an ugly crier. Raising her eyes to meet his, she drew in a steadying breath at the look of affection that was plain on his face.
“I’m sorry.” Holding up his hands, he shook his head. “I know I acted like a dick, and I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about you trying to find out if I was okay when I was taken to the hospital.”
“Why?”
“Because nobody has ever cared before,” Nix admitted. “The only person who ever cared before was my mom, and she’s been gone for so long that I didn’t even think.”
“That doesn’t explain why you don’t want me to take care of you.”
“I know, and I’m trying to figure out how to explain it…”
“I didn’t lie when I said I was tired, stinky and hungry. You have ten minutes before I leave,” Louise stated, knowing that she wasn’t going to continually be the one that gave in a relationship. That was something she had done before with boyfriends and even her family. It always ended up giving her nothing but a big pile o
f hurt. She wasn’t about to let Nix do the same thing to her, no matter how much she loved him.
Oh shit. She loved him.
Louise sucked in a huge breath at the realization, her stomach curdling around the chicken she had just eaten.
Chapter 22
Louise glanced at the forgotten chicken bone on the entry table and grimaced inwardly at the fact that she had set it down on the bare wood. She would need to clean that before she left. There was no way she was going to let him remember her by a greasy stain every time he walked into his house.
“Look at me,” Nix commanded in a soft voice. “Please.”
Louise raised her eyes away from the table, blinking quickly to keep them dry from the tears she felt were almost inevitable now.
“That’s my girl.” Nix smiled at her, his familiar grin making her heart ache.
“Please just say what you have to say.” Her voice cracked at the end of her words.
“Lou…fuck, this is harder than I thought it would be,” Nix mumbled as he raked his hands through his disheveled hair. “Okay, I’m just going to lay it out.”
He moved as if to lean on his knees before realizing his foot wouldn’t allow him to take that position. Louise watched him as he fidgeted. The sight of him not being completely in control of his actions was something that she had never witnessed before. Gone was the overly confident Viking that had wormed his way into her heart, and now she was presented with a man unsure of his next move. It was something she had never expected, and therefore had no idea how to react to.
“I’ve never had a relationship—” Nix began.
“Pfft.” Louise couldn’t hold back the snort of disbelief at his words.
“I’m serious. I’ve never had a relationship.” Nix wiped his palm down his face. “I’ve fucked a lot of women.”
When Louise leaned back as though he physically struck her, Nix cursed. “Christ, I’m screwing this all up.”
Taming Fire (Braving the Heat #2) Page 16