Adam looked back at me and I was surprised to find a glint of insecurity in his eyes. Silly man. I gripped his arm tighter to reassure him and then smiled at my brother. “Yes.”
And then quite casually, as if Adam and I weren’t tied up in knots over his possible reaction, Braden just shrugged and leaned over to switch on the kettle. “About bloody time.
You two were giving me a headache.”
My muscles tensed in reaction. All this time he’d known? Adam and I had put ourselves through pain and heartbreak these last few months and Braden had known all along how we felt about one another.
“You really are a know-it-all pain in the ass,” Joss said for us all. She pushed past him in annoyance and stopped to say more softly, “I’m happy for you,” to me and Adam before she flounced down the hall to the bathroom.
Braden laughed softly. “She loves me really.”
The bathroom door slammed at that and Braden laughed again. Adam narrowed his eyes on him. “I hope she puts you through hell, you cocky bastard.”
Braden smirked and shifted his gaze to me. “I had to make sure you were willing to fight for her. She’s worth the fight.”
Adam sighed and put his arm around my shoulder, drawing me into his side so he could kiss the top of my head. “I know that better than anyone.”
I closed my eyes and inhaled him, thanking whatever divine being out there that had added another blast of light into my darkness.
***
For a moment I just lay there, my smile pressed into my pillow. Not only had I awoken to the heat of Adam curled into my back, his forehead pressed against my nape in sleep, his heavy arm draped across my waist and his right leg caught in between mine, but I’d awoken to the lightness of remembered relief. I’d awoken feeling stronger than I had done in what had felt like a very long time.
Yesterday, although I knew from the look on his face he wanted to come with me, Adam had, along with Braden, Joss, Hannah and Dec, quietly remained at my flat while Mum and Clark accompanied me to my appointment with the neurosurgeon. Dr. Dunham was a pleasant man in his early forties who shunted the fear of God out of me and my parents with five words, “There’s nothing to worry about.” He assured us that the cause of the physical symptoms was actually a large cist attached to two very small tumors, and the cist was causing pressure. He told us it had to be removed and because of its placement—on the surface of my brain—there was very little risk to the surgery. Like two percent risk. He’d also told us that there was little chance of the tumors proving to be cancerous but that they’d be sent off for biopsy to make sure. He’d scheduled me in for surgery in two weeks’ time, and although now that I had time to think about it I was scared as all hell about going under the knife, the relief of knowing that there was a massive chance I was fighting a small fight and not one for my life was overwhelming and draining.
When I’d returned home to give everyone the optimistic news, Adam had surprised me by kissing me right there in front of my parents. I was even more surprised to discover they weren’t the least bit surprised. Afterward we’d all gone next door to the pub to gather our thoughts and try to unwind from what had been the most horrendous twenty fours I’d ever remembered experiencing. I sat in the pub with Adam on one side and Hannah curled into me on the other, and, despite everything, I felt incredibly lucky as I gazed around at my friends and family.
Mum and Clark eventually took Hannah and Dec home, Braden reluctantly left to give Joss some space and Joss disappeared into her room to give me and Adam some space. We ordered take away, which I ravenously ate since I hadn’t eaten anything for what felt like forever, and hung out on my bed. We talked for a little while, but there was so much to talk about it and I was too exhausted to give us the focus we needed. It seemed Adam was too because he disappeared with our leftovers and returned only to cuddle up to me in the bed and reach out to switch off the light.
Now I was awake with soft morning sun pouring in through my curtains, I was feeling strong and ready to take on anything, and Adam Sutherland was spooning me.
It was kind of beautiful.
I felt his hair tickle my neck as he moved and his arm tightened across my waist. “You awake, baby?” he murmured, sleep making his voice extra sexy.
My grin got bigger. “Yeah.” I lightly caressed his forearm. “You know in all the years I’ve known you I’ve never slept near you. You make noises.”
I felt his chest move behind me in laughter. “Noises?”
Twisting now, so I could look into his eyes, I grinned up into his face as he leaned over me. “You make ‘mmm’ noises.”
Adam grinned back at me. “What are ‘mmm’ noises?”
“You know ‘mmm’ noises. ‘Mmm’… when something tastes or sounds good.”
He grimaced. “Like ‘yum’ noises?”
“Exactly but you know, ‘mmm’…”