Tram waved her into the room and stepped away from the bed. “I’m off to grab some grub. You want anything, Sarah?”
“A hamburger. The bloodier the better,” Tag growled, and scowled when his request was ignored. Fuck, he was tired of bland hospital food.
He waited with building impatience for their exchange of pleasantries to subside. Tram needed to get his ass out of the room so Tag could get to rebuilding his life. It seemed to take forever before his buddy left and he was alone with the woman he loved more than his life…or apparently his honor.
“You were shot? Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” The question emerged full of accusation.
He scowled as she hesitated on her way toward his bed. Asshole. Maybe you could try to not drive her away?
He rewound and tried again. “Are you okay?”
His second attempt sounded grumpy, rather than contrite or apologetic or even worried. No wonder she was heading home. He was a first-class asshole when it came to expressing emotions.
“I’m fine. The doctor said it’s healing great. I was only in the hospital overnight.” Her voice was cautious.
But at least she started walking toward him again instead of backing out the damn door.
“Good. That’s good.”
Way to go, jackass. Show her how much you care.
He scowled. “I’m sorry you took a bullet,” he added gruffly.
“It wasn’t your fault.” A slight frown shadowed her eyes.
They looked dark today. Bluish rather than hazel. He hated that solemn shadow in her eyes. Hated the distant expression.
Hated knowing that while she didn’t seem to blame him, everything that had befallen her had been his fault. Every single fucking thing Mitch had done to her over the past two years had been Tag’s fault.
He’d picked a fight with a psychopath and she’d paid the price.
“I was wrong.” The admission broke from him like a curse. Full of frustration and rage.
She drew back at his tone but held her ground. “About what?”
“About Mitch not being able to get to me. I said it would never happen. Turns out—” He broke off to grimace and glared down at his chest. Disbelief and embarrassment hit him smack in the face, just as it did every time he thought about how easy it had been for Mitch to drop him. “Yeah. I proved you right, there. Didn’t I?”
Something stirred in her eyes, but it wasn’t satisfaction or sympathy.
“Well, you were preoccupied with keeping me safe.” She offered him a polite smile as she settled into the chair beside the bed.
And there it was, that damn distance she’d shoved between them. It was in the bluish tint to her eyes, in the flatness of her voice. In the immobility of her face. In the way she pressed back in her chair instead of leaning forward and reaching for his hand.
Fuck…what he’d give to feel her fingers entwined with his.
“Looks like I failed at that too.” He frowned at her. How the hell was he supposed to reach across the space she’d erected between them? She’d said she’d find a way to fall out of love with him. Had their matching gunshot wounds and hospital stays given her the opportunity she’d needed?
Maybe it was time to stop being such a pussy and find out. “Did you mean what you said at the motel?”
And there he went, tiptoeing around the edge of his admission. She was a hell of a lot braver when it came to the emotional stuff than he was.
“About what?”
She was hedging. The way her eyes skated away from his proved she knew exactly what he was asking.
“That you still loved me.” His voice was quiet. Yet it filled every corner of the room, giving her no place to hide.
A flinch went through her. But then her shoulders squared and her eyes returned to his. “I meant it.”
He frowned, rethinking his question. He knew she’d meant it then. But what about now? “Still? Do you still love me?”
Her eyebrows flew up. And a touch of temper heated her cheeks…brightened her eyes to green. “What do you mean, still? Granted, a lot has happened since that conversation took place, but it was only five days ago. I’m not fickle. You should know that by now.”
Tag set his jaw. Yeah. Yeah. She still hadn’t answered him. “Do you?”
Sarah expelled a noisy breath and scowled. “Yes. But like I said, that’s on me. Not you. You don’t need to worry about me stalking you.”