Nice Guys Don't Win (The Boys #2) - Micalea Smeltzer Page 0,62

into the apartment and back to her room. She climbs beneath her covers, pulling them up to her chin.

“I’m okay, Cole,” she murmurs sleepily. “Stop looking at me like I’m going to disappear.”

“I can’t help it. I’m worried.”

“I’m better, promise. The magic drugs they gave me are a-okay.” She holds her hand up with her thumb and forefinger making the okay gesture.

“I’m going to try to get some sleep, but holler if you need me. Or text. Or—”

She grabs my wrist, brown eyes pleading with me. “Don’t leave. Sleep here. There’s room.”

I eye the empty side of her bed, my heart speeding up. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” I eye the floor, wondering how badly a few hours of sleep on it will fuck up my back.

“Please.” She bites her lower lip. “I … I don’t want to be alone.”

Just like in the bathroom when she asked me not to leave, I can see how much it takes for her to admit that. “Okay.” I jerk my head in a nod. “But I’m getting up early to go get your medicine.”

“Thank you.”

I yank my shirt off, but my leave my jeans on as I lay on the bed beside her.

“You can get under the covers,” she says, rolling toward me.

“I’m good like this.” I curve my arm behind my head.

“Whatever you say. It’s not like I’m going to maul you.”

In minutes, her breaths are even with sleep. Her body seems relaxed and I’m glad she’s going to be able to get some much-needed rest.

Right now, I’m wide awake, far too wired to fall asleep. I lie there, staring up at the ceiling and doing my best to ignore the presence of the slumbering woman beside me, the woman who has clawed her way under my skin without even trying.

I jerk awake a little after eight in the morning, light pouring in through a crack in Zoey’s blinds. She snores softly, her breaths tickling my neck since at some point in the past few hours she’s scooted her body against mine. The covers are kicked off her and her leg is draped over top of mine. Her right arm is curled over my shoulder and her head is buried in the crook of my neck.

I have no idea how I’m going to extract myself from her hold on me, but I need to get up and head to the store for her prescription and pick us up some breakfast.

It’s Monday, but there’s no way either of us are making it to class today.

Slowly, working a little at a time, I manage to remove her limbs from my body and slip from the bed. I scribble out a note, so she doesn’t wake up and panic that I’ve left her.

In my room I change my clothes and grab my wallet and keys.

I shoot a text to Coach and let him know she’s still sleeping but doing okay, since I figure the man has to still be worried. Immediately he texts back a thank you.

Cranking my truck up, I drive down the road to the strip mall and run into the CVS there. Afterwards, I swing by McDonald’s and pick up breakfast biscuits and hash browns. Paranoid that she might not want either, I grab donuts from the nearby Krispy Kreme.

I hope Zoey won’t mind the fact there’s one missing from the box, but I couldn’t resist the fresh glazed goodness.

When I get back to the apartment, I open the door, balancing the McDonald’s and CVS bag on top of the donut box, and find her sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket with her stuffed Teddy dog in her arms.

“Morning.” She gives me a wane smile. “Please tell me those are the magic drugs.”

“Yep, and food. You need something in your stomach.”

“So bossy,” she jokes.

I set everything down on the kitchen counter. “Are you okay with a sausage and egg biscuit?”

“Gimme.” She does grabby hands.

I pass her a biscuit and hash brown then grab her some water from the fridge. “You need to hydrate.”

“Again, so bossy.” She giggles, then winces, grabbing her abdomen again. After a few deep breaths she forces a smile. “After I eat this will you let me have the drugs?”

“Absolutely.” I hate seeing her in pain, but I know she needs to eat first. “I got donuts too if you want one. Even got an Oreo one for you to try. No idea if it’ll be any good since you prefer the red velvet