After watching me for a good few moments, he finally caved with a raise of his brows. “Okay, sweetheart, you win. I’ll be back just before five to say goodbye.” He planted a deep kiss on my lips and then left me to head over to our house.

I gathered up a pillow and blanket, and settled onto the couch for some sleep. My body was weary and I knew it wouldn’t take me long to fall asleep, not even on this pain-inducing couch.

My last thoughts as I drifted off were that I could do six days without Scott; of course I could. But they’d be some long days filled with worry, and spent missing him. I’d miss his reassuring presence. On the days I doubted myself, Scott gave me wings, and I hoped the physical distance between us wouldn’t change that.

5

Harlow

“Baby, wake up.”

I attempted to roll over, but the pain shooting through my hip and up along my back caused me to wince and halt my movement. Not a good way to start a day. After a few moments, I tried again, and this time was able to roll over. When I opened my eyes, I found Scott crouching next to the couch I lay on. “Morning,” I mumbled, my voice all groggy and my thoughts jumbled as to why I was asleep on Michelle’s couch.

“Fuck, I knew I should have stayed here and let you go home,” he muttered, his voice sounding as annoyed as his face looked. “Can you move?”

I nodded. “Yes.” But even as the word came out, I knew it was a lie, or at least, a partial lie. I could probably move, but it would hurt.

“Bullshit.” He called me out, and I simply smiled at him rather than arguing with him about it.

Wincing as I sat, I placed my palm against his cheek. “I love you for caring, baby, but I will be okay. Once I get going and have a shower, the stiffness will ease. How did you sleep?”

The way he paused momentarily told me everything I needed to know; he hadn’t slept well. However, he tried to reassure me. “I’ve had enough sleep.” He’d placed his hands on my thighs when I sat, and he now ran them up my legs to my waist. Gripping me there, he said, “Fuck, I need more time with you, but I’ve gotta go.” My disappointment matched his.

I took hold of his face as I nodded. “I know.”

Pressing his body into mine, he caught my lips in a kiss. I hated the fact I had morning breath and that this would be the last kiss we’d share for a week, but there was no time to change this, so I kissed him back. He didn’t seem to care because he deepened the kiss to the point where he had me panting for more. But again, there was no time for more.

When he finally ended the kiss, he growled, “Fuck…I need to fuck you before I go.” His eyes were all over me, and his hands moved to slide under my ass. “A week without you is gonna fuckin’ kill me.”

I knew how he felt – I felt the same way. My hands moved to his belt. “I need you, too.” God, how I needed him.

Our hands were a wild tangle of fighting against the clock to get enough clothes off so we could say goodbye in the one way we both needed. Sex was the glue that held us together at the moment in a way that nothing else could. Even when I felt like the words I spoke were all wrong and not useful in moving us back together after I’d held him away, the sex reassured me that we’d be okay.

“Harlow.” Lisa’s voice cut through the darkness and my body stilled.

Shit.

Scott pulled away from me and quickly did up his pants before standing. Turning to face her, he said, “Hey, darlin’, how you feeling?”

He moved towards her as I gathered my thoughts.

“I think I’m going to vomit,” she admitted, sounding disoriented from sleep.

Moving fast, he took her to the bathroom and I could hear his soothing voice as he looked after her. Eventually, I stood and stretched my body. The pain had eased a little, allowing me to move without too much trouble.

Knowing that Scott had to leave, I joined them in the bathroom. “You should go,” I suggested as his eyes came to mine. “I’ll take over with Lisa.”

Conflict sat heavy in his eyes. He was clearly torn about leaving. When his phone sounded with a text, he muttered, “Fuck.” After checking it he found my gaze again. “I hate leaving you like this, but that was J…I gotta go.”

I nodded. “I know,” I whispered.

We swapped positions so I could take over with Lisa. His hand settled around my waist for a moment and he kissed me goodbye. God, what a way to say goodbye – standing in the toilet as you waited for a child to vomit. And both of us frustrated by no goodbye sex.

He rested his forehead against mine and remained silent for a beat. When he finally lifted it, he said, “I swear, I’m gonna make this asshole pay for dragging me away from you.” His tone made it clear he would follow through on that promise.

I squeezed his hand. “Okay, you should go before I try and stop you from leaving.”

He hesitated for another minute and then blew out a long breath. “Yeah,” he said gruffly.

After saying goodbye to Lisa, and after giving me one more kiss, he left us. My heart constricted and I wondered again how I would get through the next six or seven days.

You’ll be fine and he’ll be home soon.

And yet, a sense of foreboding had lodged itself deep in the pit of my stomach.

What if he isn’t as invincible as he thinks he is?

I was supposed to work at the café that day and then at Indigo that night. My dilemma over this centred on the fact Lisa and Michelle were both sick. If I’d believed Michelle was well enough to care for Lisa, I would have had no problem leaving them to go to work. But she was far from being well enough to do that.