me and a good hundred pounds heavier, yet we fit together like two interlocking pieces of a puzzle.
"I think you're perfect the way you are. I'm sorry you have to deal with a mom like that," he said apologetically, then dropped a kissed to the top of my head. If he only knew how nasty she could be. "What about physical therapy while you're away?"
I held on to his forearms as a smile tipped my lips. I stared at our reflection. After I strained my Achilles heel a couple of months ago, I had to alter my training schedule to fit in treatment three times a week, and water down my routines so I didn't add excess pressure and tear the tendon completely. The pain in my calf and ankle was mostly nonexistent now, but I wasn't naive to think it was healed. I knew my boundaries…for the most part, anyway.
"You're so thoughtful and caring. I don’t have an appointment set up, but I will when I get there. I already know who I'm going to call. It won't be an issue for me to get in."
And it wouldn't. My dad would make the call for me.
I patted Hayden's arm. "I need to get going. I have about a three-hour drive ahead of me."
He gave me one last squeeze and said, "I'll miss you." Releasing me, he bent down and grabbed the small suitcase I was bringing home. We turned off all the lights and left my condo.
As I was locking the door, Hayden shifted from one foot to the other.
"What is it?" I asked, pulling the key out.
"Is this considered the walk of shame?" He looked down at his clothes, then met my gaze. "I mean, I am wearing the clothes I came in, and I slept with you."
A smile spread across my face and a laugh escaped from me as I shook my head.
"I'm pretty sure the walk of shame is supposed to include more than just sleeping next to me."
We walked side by side to the elevator. "True, but I had a boner when I woke up," he said so casually, pressing the button to take us to the lobby.
I burst out laughing, not expecting that. "Did you just say boner? Who says that anymore?"
Hayden shrugged. "Woody. Hard-on. Erection. A stiffy. Full salute. Morning glory. Pitch a tent. Throbbing member. Which would you prefer?"
My eyes widened and I laughed harder as he rattled off more nicknames. "I guess if I had to pick, boner would be the best choice. Do people really say morning glory?"
"I don't know, Aid. I don't talk about boner names with my friends," he said, flashing me a wry smile.
"Yeah, I guess that would be weird."
Stepping outside, there wasn't a cloud in the sky considering it poured yesterday. For a December morning in Georgia, it was surprisingly breezy with a slight bite in the air. Goose bumps broke out over my skin as we made our way to my truck.
I opened my door and Hayden dropped my luggage into the back seat. He turned toward me and pulled me into a bear hug. His head dropped to the curve of my neck and I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around him. He lifted me up and hugged me tightly, and without thinking, I wound my legs around his waist and locked my ankles together.
"You're so light," he mumbled against my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut at the familiarity of those words. Kova had once said that when he held me.
Lowering me to the ground, Hayden kept me close as he looked down at me. His eyes crinkled around the corners and the intensity of his troubled gaze locked on to mine. He was worried.
"Are you okay?" I asked. "I did dump a pile of shit onto your lap last night that would take years of psychotherapy to sort and process." Even then, I wasn't sure if he'd ever see it through my eyes.
Hayden pressed his lips together and stared at me. He took hold of my side ponytail and curled it gently around his knuckles before letting it fall to my chest.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"
"I think you've asked me enough."
I repeated my question. He sighed and looked above my head.
"Not really."
My heart dropped. I had a gut feeling it was too much to take in. No human with morals and dignity would be able to swallow something the size of a horse pill and act like it