Damaged and the Dragon by Bijou Hunter

Author:Bijou Hunter [Hunter, Bijou]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, New Adult & College, Contemporary Fiction
Amazon: B00KFXBBDW
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen ~ Bailey

The storm intensified until the apartment felt under attack. Staring at the ceiling, Nick rested perfectly still next to me. I watched him for a long time without saying anything. A part of me was afraid to upset him. Finally, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut any longer.

“You’re not in that trailer,” I said, scooting closer.

“I know.”

“You’re safe.”

Nick nodded without looking at me.

“Do you want to take a shower?”

“No.”

“Can I do anything besides shut up?”

Nick smiled tightly and reached for my hand. He placed it on his chest and sighed.

“I feel… I just need to wait out the storm. You don’t need to stay up and wait with me.”

“Are you hot?” I asked, thinking about him trapped in the closet during a storm. “Want me to put on the ceiling fan?”

Nick didn’t react for nearly a minute. Finally, he glanced at me in the dark room.

“That might help actually.”

Feeling brilliant, I jumped up and reached for the fan remote. After turning it up to high, I returned to bed. We rested quietly as I built up the courage to ask the question I’d been circling for a while.

“Is your dad a smoker?”

His gaze locked on the ceiling, Nick didn’t react except to say, “Yes.”

“Is that how you got the scars?”

“Some of them,” Nick whispered. “Cigarettes and lighters were his favorites. He also played baseball and used metal cleats when he was drunk. He was just being careful, you know? He didn’t want to burn down the trailer while punishing me for his shitty life.”

“Nick…” I said, finding no magical words to fix his pain.

“You can get used to the physical stuff. The mind learns to work around it, but I never figured out how to deal with thunderstorms. Isn’t that funny?” he asked without any humor.

“You are so brave,” I said, wanting to touch him, but holding back. “You were raised by a monster, but you grew up to have honor.”

“I’d rather be normal.”

“Average is lame, Nick. You’re extraordinary.”

Nick tried to smile, but failed. “The tattoo hides many of the scars, but not enough.”

“I think you’re beautiful.”

“Despite the scars.”

Frowning, I sighed. “Not despite. Everything about you is beautiful to me.”

Nick nodded. “People keep telling me you’re wild or rude or whatever. I don’t see it the way they do. I guess the heart makes us blind to things too. I only see how funny and strong you are.”

“I want to touch you.”

“Please don’t.”

“I won’t, but I want to.”

His eyelids growing heavy, Nick smiled slightly. “You hide your sweetness behind that big mouth, but I always knew it was there.”

Sharing his smile, I cuddled closer, but avoided touching him. Dozing off and on, I found Nick awake each time I opened my eyes. Finally around three, I woke long enough to find him sleeping.

Nick was still asleep hours later when the bright sun streamed into the bedroom. I left him looking sexy and serene. Twice while making coffee, I returned to stare in awe at his buck naked wonder.

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