Ryder pulled her hand into his own. “I kind of like it,” he admitted. “You keep me on my feet.” Now it was her turn to laugh.
“See, now you’re doing it too. I think I’m the reason you aren’t on your feet, literally,” she assessed.
“Right,” he said. “Well, I like your little play on words. It’s cute.” She wrinkled her nose at him.
“Thanks,” she said. Tatum gently ran her fingers over his forehead and he winced. “I think you might have a concussion. You can’t sleep for long. I’ll wake you every hour so you can try to get some rest.” Honestly, he wasn’t tired but he knew that as soon as he took his pain meds, he’d be out like a light again. Still, he hated that she was going to have to forgo sleep to keep an eye on him. It was his stupid fault that he ended up on the floor. He should have eaten his dinner instead of taking the pills on an empty stomach. His doctors warned him not to do that but he was being a stubborn ass and ended up doing what he wanted.
“How about you just sleep in here with me and that way, you can just roll over and nudge me awake. It will save you some time and hopefully you’ll be able to get some rest,” he said. He knew he sounded like he was trying to trap her in his bed with him and yeah—he was. But, after their kiss at the dinner table, Tatum had been distant and kept her walls up. He hated that, and he was hoping that he’d be able to break them down some to get to know her.
“I can’t sleep in your bed with you, Ryder,” she protested. He knew she was going to give him a fight over sleeping with him. Hell, he wanted to ask her for so much more, but this would at least be a start.
“It’s not like that, Tatum,” he lied. “I just wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing that you were running in here every hour to check on me. I’d feel awful. Hell, the reason I fell was because I was an idiot and didn’t eat before taking my pill. I’d be able to relax more knowing that you were in here with me,” he said. “Besides, if I have to get up, you’ll be here to help me and I won’t end up on the floor again,” he said. He knew he was playing dirty but he didn’t care.
She looked so torn, he almost felt bad about playing the, “I need help” card. He knew he was playing on her sympathies. It was, after all, why Tatum agreed to move into his place with him. She was adamant about helping him after running him down with her car. Tatum took his tray from him and handed him a pain pill and water she had gotten him earlier.
“You can take these now,” she said. She disappeared from his room with his dirty dishes, shutting off his light on her way out.
“Guess I have my answer,” he whispered to himself. He tried, but he wouldn’t chase after her and beg, not again. Tatum was going to come to him sooner or later, he just hoped he wouldn’t have to wait too long. He was betting that she was already counting down the days until her obligation to help take care of him was up. He knew that she needed a place to stay for a few weeks until she got back on her feet but he also knew that their living relationship was temporary.
The pain meds started working and he settled into his bed, pulling his covers up over his almost naked body. He was tired and with any luck, he might be able to get in a few more hours of sleep and this time, when he woke up, he wouldn’t fall on his ass and need his new houseguest to help him off the floor.
Tatum
She wasn’t sure what the hell to do about Ryder’s offer of sleeping in his bed. He was right, it would be easier for her to wake him every hour if he was laying right next to her. She was dead on her feet and the thought of trudging across the hall every hour, to wake him up, seemed tedious. So, she gave in and after she cleaned his dishes, she climbed back up the stairs and into his bed. Ryder was already asleep and she knew that had everything to do with his pain pills.
At first, she laid next to him, rigid and afraid to move around for fear of hurting his leg. He had it propped up on a couple of pillows, and the last thing he needed was her bumping it in her sleep. Tatum rolled over to her side and watched him as he gently snored next to her. He was a handsome man. His dark hair and blue eyes made him just her type—well if she had a type. Honestly, Tatum didn’t know what kind of guy was her type, but she was pretty sure Ryder fit the bill. He made her girl parts stand up and take notice. Hell, he made her girl parts feel like they were doing a happy dance every time he was in the same room as her.
When she heard his big body hit the floor earlier, her heart sank thinking that he might be hurt. Tatum rushed into his bedroom and found him lying on the floor and she worried that he had hit his head on the way down. His forehead looked like it hit the floor pretty hard, but he was coherent, ate some food, and held a conversation with her. She knew what to do about his concussion since her brother had his share of them over the years. Tatum ended up taking care of him more than a few times. Her mother used to tease that she was a natural caretaker and even tried to convince her that she should go into nursing but that wasn’t her thing. She liked taking care of people she cared about—her mother and Jackson—well, and now, Ryder. But having to take care of others felt daunting. No, she was better with clothes and dressing people than she was at changing bandages and giving needles.
When Ryder came to, putting his hands and lips all over her body, she couldn’t help but writhe against him. God, he was big—all over. She felt his impressive erection against her belly and the thought of that inside her both excited and terrified her. She knew how sex worked—the ins and outs of it all, but she had no experience when it came to being with a man. It was one of the reasons she ran off after dinner. The way Ryder kissed her made her feel and want things she never thought she’d want with a man. It scared her the way he took charge of their kiss, but what scared her more was the way she let herself go when she was with him. She felt crazy with lust and need and that just wasn’t her. At least, it never had been. Tatum worried that once Ryder found out that she was a virgin, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her and she wouldn’t be able to blame him, really. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy who wanted to be with a virgin. He told her that he liked to hook up with women at Savage Hell. He was into one night stands and hot biker chicks. A sheltered virgin, saving herself for someone special, definitely wasn’t his speed.
Tatum tossed and turned for about thirty minutes until her mind was able to calm down enough for her to drift off. She set her alarm on her cell phone to wake her up every hour. She’d make sure that Ryder was all right and then, in the morning, she’d insist that he get checked out. She was sure her brother would know of a doctor who might make house calls and then, Ryder would have no choice in the matter.
Tatum woke wrapped up in a solid wall of hard, warm muscle and she cuddled into it. Her alarm was sounding but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out what the hell it was for? Shit—Ryder.
She opened her sleepy eyes to find him smiling down at her and God, he looked perfect. How did someone look so damn good in the morning? She was pretty sure she looked a mess, probably needed a shower and her toothbrush. Tatum covered her hand over her mouth and Ryder chuckled.
“Mornin’,” he said. “You’re finally up.”