But as Nevada blinked again, the realization that they were approaching the end of their trip slammed into her, and she stiffened. There was one question that had nagged her as she'd attempted to doze off tonight, and there was only one person who could provide the answer.
And he was sat on the other side of her.
Her throat felt thick. When she sat up, her shoulders tensing up, Sam stopped looking at the screen long enough for a flicker of concern to cross his gaze.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah," Sam said, shifting uneasily.
"Did you tell anyone—about my anxiety?"
Though the question had lingered in the back of her mind since the night he had found her in the middle of her panic attack, she hadn't worked up the courage to ask. He had found her in the most vulnerable position she could imagine — even more so than if she had undressed herself in front of him — and the thought of him sharing the details with the rest of their cabin made her stomach sink. While the others had given no indication that they knew, she needed the verbal confirmation.
His eyes widened. He pondered her question for a quick second. "No," he said. "It isn't my place to say anything. I would've been a prick if I had. If you want to tell them, you should do it when you're ready." He didn't miss her grimace since he added, "But if you think they'll look at you any differently, then you're wrong."
His words did little to assuage the unease that had trickled down her spine. "So you think I should say something?"
Sam returned his attention back to the game, loading into another race. "I think you should do whatever you feel comfortable with. If you want to tell them, you can. If you don't, then you don't have to."
Nevada absorbed his words of advice over the next couple of minutes. The only sounds to be heard were the muffled volume and the occasional clicks of the controller. It wasn't until an opponent spun Sam's car out of control that he snapped, tossing the controller onto the couch in a fit of sudden rage.
For some unknown reason, the sight made her laugh. He had answered the most important question to her at that moment, and it had left her feeling more at ease than she had been when she had first tried to fall asleep. He made it all sound so simple. She wished it felt that way. Maybe it could be that simple.
He flopped back against the cushions, his arms crossed over his chest as his lower lip pushed out in a pout. Her heart only fluttered more. In response, she pressed her lips to his forehead.
Sam stilled beneath her touch, and for a mere second, the two were frozen, their breaths hitched. When she pulled away, his warm gaze was on hers once more, and she had to force herself to look down otherwise she would never leave.
"Thanks," she murmured, rising to her feet.
"You're welcome." He grabbed his controlled off the floor, but he didn't click to resume the game right away. "Good night."
"Good night." With a quick wave, Nevada ducked down the hallway, a skip in her step that hadn't been there before.
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