Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(21)

I shook my head, frowning and upset with myself for not catching on to this before. I’d always assumed she didn’t care what anyone thought. But all this time, my best friend had been suffering inside, and I’d been clueless.

God, I sucked.

“Has someone been messing with you?” I asked, remembering how Zach Bledsoe had bullied her last year and even knocked her wheelchair over. After I’d beaten his ass, he’d never bothered her again. That I knew of. But if he was—

“No,” she said, causing my shoulders to fall in relief. “No one even talks to me. They either keep their distance or try to avoid me completely. And the few people who do approach, talk to me like I’m two years old and can only understand, like, five words, or worse yet, pat me on the head.”

“I don’t treat you that way.”

She blew out a breath and sent me a brief scowl. “Well, you’re the only one. You, and Mason, and Reese. But I can’t be around you three every hour of every day.”

Suddenly feeling shitty that I’d been hogging her all to myself, I made myself a promise that I’d bring her to my house more often so Noel, and Aspen, and Colton could get to know her better and help her widen her circle. I even thought up some fellow football players I could force to befriend her. Not that I’d ever let her in on my intentions. She’d probably kill me if she knew.

“Hey,” I murmured. Since she looked as if she were on the verge of tears, I caught her chin and stared her straight in the eye. “If someone can’t look past a little shaking and see what kind of amazing person you are, then they’re a f*cking idiot, and you don’t need to befriend someone that stupid, anyway.”

A single tear tracked down her cheek. I wiped it away. “You just being yourself is what made you my favorite person, so just keep being you, okay?”

Another tear wavered in her lashes, but she smiled and nodded. “Thank you. I love you so much.”

My lips parted as all the air in my lungs suddenly went on vacation. Her words rang through my head, blaring so loud they buzzed in my ears. My heart thudded, reverberating out my arms and legs.

Brain unable to function past the fact that Sarah loved me, I blurted, “I love you, too.”

She grinned, her entire face lighting up until she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. I swear, her cheeks glowed, her blue eyes sparkled, even her dark hair vibrated with vivacity. Everything in me screamed to lean in and press my mouth to hers.

Seal the moment with a kiss.

But she beat me to it, stamping her lips to my cheek and pulling away before I even realized what was going on.

“You always know how to cheer me up. You’re like the best friend whisperer or something.”

I gulped, too frozen to react. Suddenly glad I hadn’t kissed her, I realized she’d meant a totally different kind of love than I had. Shit, this was humiliating. My face warmed, and I glanced away.

It kind of hurt to know I’d been feeling something so different than she had.

Clearing my throat, I rubbed my damp palms on the legs of my jeans and focused my attention on her window. “Uh...yeah. I guess that’s my one talent.”

“Oh, whatever. You’re great at everything.” Sarah pushed the laptop off her and onto the bed between us. “I’m going to change into my pajamas. Are you staying?”

I didn’t want to stay. I wanted to run and hide. I felt too vulnerable and exposed to stick around. But when it took me too long to speak and she glanced back for my answer, I couldn’t tell her no, so I nodded. “Sure.”

“Great. You can help me brush my hair.”

Dammit, I loved brushing her hair as much as I loved her...like love her loved her. Why the hell had I never realized that until this very moment?

This was bad. This was so bad. What if she found out and freaked because she could only love me as a friend? She’d never once done anything to show any kind of romantic interest, so it was likely I’d scare her away completely if I didn’t control this right now.

Friends. We’re just friends, I commanded myself as Sarah maneuvered herself off her bed and into her wheelchair without any assistance from me. As she left the room briefly, I paced the floor, forcing every lovey-dovey thought I’d ever had for her back into my head.

I felt lots better, and back in control of whatever the hell had just happened when the door opened again, and she rolled into the room. Until I looked up and lost it once more. But she was so pretty in a classically flawless, innocent way. The only word that tumbled around in my head when I looked at her was: mine.

It was freaking weird.

“Sorry,” she said, looking chagrined. “Reese caught me coming out of the bathroom and offered to brush it. I couldn’t tell her you were in here waiting to do it.”

It took me a moment to understand what she was talking about until she motioned to her silky hair that was perfectly brushed.

“Oh,” I stumbled out. “No, that’s okay. No problem.”

I jammed my hands awkwardly into my pockets as I stood there like a dumbass and watched her struggle out of her chair and back onto the bed. My pulse accelerated as she lifted the blankets and crawled under. Then she scooted in enough to make room for me.

When I didn’t move, she finally looked up. “What’s wrong?”

Shit. I hurried forward, quickly saying, “Nothing.”