The American Roommate Experiment (Spanish Love Deception #2)(98)

Me, when it had been him on the ground. Me, when he was the one in pain. In pain because of me.

I felt so guilty, I could hardly breathe. That was probably why I slipped into management mode the moment we finally entered Lina’s studio for what was supposed to be my final night. Because I couldn’t allow myself to think too much, either.

I shoved my brother into the bathroom and forced him to take a shower. When he was out, I did the same with Lucas. I took the pair of sweats and hoodie Lucas offered and shoved them in Olly’s hands, making sure he changed into the warm clothes. I prepared tea. I grabbed blankets from the closet and placed them on the armrest of the couch, ready to wrap the two men up in them if they so much as looked chilly. Then, I put ice in a cloth for Lucas, not even knowing if that would help. And after that, I went on a scavenger hunt for painkillers. Because this wasn’t my place, and I didn’t know where Lina might keep some.

“What are you looking for?” Lucas asked as I crouched on the kitchen floor, still in my dress.

“What are you doing, Lucas?” I answered. “Take the ice and go sit down, please.”

“Not until you tell me what you’re looking for.”

“I’m searching for painkillers. For you.” Moving a large pan to one side, I sighed. “I’ve looked everywhere, bathroom, drawers… I have no idea if Lina has any.”

“Rosie,” Lucas said, and his voice made me look up. He didn’t seem happy, which I guessed wasn’t surprising given the circumstances. “There are no painkillers in there. Only pots.”

“You’re right,” I said, coming to a standing position and feeling the still damp fabric shifting against my legs. “There’s a CVS down the street. It should be open.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said simply. “You’re staying right where you are. With me. And you’re getting out of this dress and jumping into the shower, too.”

“But—”

He came forward, getting close, really close. He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “This is not a one-way street, Rosie. You look after me, and I look after you. We take care of each other. We’re a team.”

“A team.” I sighed, my eyelids falling closed.

His thumb swiped along my jaw so softly I could barely feel it. “Yes. So, get in the shower and change into dry clothes. I’ll keep an eye on Olly.”

Afraid of blurting out how good he was and how much I loved him, I just nodded.

On my way to the bathroom, I tried to calm my pulse, all the conflicting emotions threatening to burst out of me. Guilt and gratitude. Love and terrifying fear of getting my heart broken.

Once done with the shower, hair towel-dried, and clad in my pajamas, I opened the bathroom door to Olly wrapped in a blanket on one corner of the couch and Lucas sitting on the floor with his back against the opposite side.

He was pressing the ice pack on his knee and when our gazes met, his eyes warmed. Then, as I stood there in my sleeping shorts, he looked down my bare legs and that warmth turned into heat.

A few hours ago, a look like that would have left me tingling, hoping for more, but now all of that… had soured. Because I had ruined tonight. And I hated it. I hated that I was responsible for him being in pain.

“Come here,” Lucas said, patting the couch cushion behind his head. “I was asking Olly what we should watch.”

I sighed. “It’s so late, Lucas I…”

Before I could properly complain, though, Lucas’s lips curled, giving me a distracting smile. “We all need to unwind, take our minds off tonight. I would cook something but—”

“No.” I instinctively shot forward. Just so he wouldn’t move from where he was. “No cooking or anything that implies being on your feet for you. Stay put.”

He smiled wider, and dammit, it was hard not to feel good seeing that smile.

“I think he’s right, Rosie,” my brother offered.

“You two ganging up on me?” With a sigh, I came to a stop in front of Lucas. “Why don’t you take the couch? There’s enough space for you to stretch your leg.”

He shook his head. “The floor is fine.”

I pinned him with a look.

And instead of fighting me over it, instead of trying to say something that would convince me or make me feel better, he placed the palm of his hand to the side of my thigh. And slowly, ever so slowly, he squeezed. The pads of his fingers were right against my bare skin, and everywhere that our skin touched heated up. Intense awareness spread out, traveling to all parts of my body.

Lucas let his hand rest there as he looked up at me, straight into my eyes. His jaw set into a line, his features serious. “Don’t make me get on my feet and pick you up myself, ángel.” And I knew he meant it. “Because I’ll carry you to the couch if I have to.”

God, this man. “Fine,” I relented.

His hand fell off my skin at the same time as a grunt of agreement left his lips.

Choosing to ignore how that little sound affected me, I plopped myself down on the couch, watching as Lucas repositioned himself so his shoulders and head were between my legs.

He curled the arm that wasn’t holding the ice around my shin. “Now the floor isn’t just fine,” he said quietly. “It’s perfect.”