Meaningful Mistakes

Chapter Forty Six

"Can we plan my great escape out of here already?" I suddenly ask, ignoring his previous statement although it ran deep through me. One of his hands moves from my cheek to the back of my nape.

My stomach ties in knots when he flashes his bright smile, one I will never get tired of looking at. "We'll plan it when you're capable of walking." He plays along with my joke. "You can't even laugh yet, Lollipops. Let's take it slow."

"I can so." I defend. "It just happens to hurt a lot."

"Gods, I love you." Hunter says suddenly, the grin not leaving his face.

"I love you, more than you know."

"If it's as much as I love you, then it must hurt." He speaks quietly. "So much that you're the first and last thing on my mind everyday, and I feel a need to reach for you whenever you're near."

My heart swells and expands enough to feel like it's the only thing inside me. I smile through the exisiting pain I'm in.

I could try to find the words to compete, but I can't. I close the small distance between us and kiss Hunter. Gosh, I'd been itching to do this since I woke up and saw him for the first time.

He's more gentle than usual, ensuring that he doesn't hurt me with any movements. His hand stays on the back of my neck while my grip reaches his hoodie. The material bunches in my grip.

The kiss is only short, because I know I won't be able to hold my breath for long until the clenching in my chest starts again. I pull away the moment a tickle starts in my chest, and lean my forehead to his.

"You didn't hurt Jake, did you?" It may be the wrong time to ask, but I can't stop the pressure to hear if he was angered towards him.

It definitely was a bad time to ask. Hunter's free curls into a fist and his knuckles turn bleach white. His attention points away from me- he stares at the wall ahead.

"I was driving back to Lacewood with mom when Becky called me, because Jake was too frightened for you at the time. All she told me was that you're in hospital." He starts explaining, yet to answer my question. "Mom drove me here as fast as she could. When I found your room, thanks to William's terrible navigation skills, the first thing I saw was Jake's guilty face and I was convinced it was his fault. No, I didn't hurt him. I tried to grab him, but Will knew and stopped me. Then Jake explained what happened."

When he turns to face me again, the concern swims in his hazel eyes. I hate seeing that on him. Especially since I am the one putting it there.

"You don't blame him, do you?" I ask slowly in hopes there is no more added conflict between the two. I don't blame Jake for what happened. He was there just in time to help.

His head drops and a sigh escapes his lips. "I want to, but I can't." Hunter reaches for me hand. "Part of me says he should've gone with you, but he doesn't need to hold your hand all the way to the girls bathroom. You should've been safe. I'm glad he and Becky got there when they did, though I wish it was earlier."

I grip his hand tighter. "Thank you."

"For what?" His eyebrows knot together.

"For not being mad at him. Or hurting him. Or blaming him. Jake was there to help." He is the reason the shady man was arrested.