I Want You

Chapter Eight

You always think you're prepared for something when you've been warned about it, but the truth is that it rarely ever happens.

As I walked into the hospital room, I thought I was prepared to see Armand all bruised up with scratches and a few burns from the pavement. I thought I was prepared to see how pale he looked, how he cradled his arm against his chest on that sling to keep it from moving. I thought I was prepared to see him hurt. But you never really are prepared for seeing your loved ones hurt, are you?

No, he isn't dying, but he's still hurt and in turn that hurt me.

"Hey, love." Armand smiled testily when he noticed I wasn't moving.

"Don't 'Hey, love' me you idiot!" I snapped, walking briskly towards the bed and gently slapping his calf. "You scared the living hell out of me! I thought you were-"

And I started crying. Again.

"I'm sorry." He reached out to hold my hand, rubbing his thumb back and forth over my knuckles in a soothing gesture.

"Don't apologize. It was an accident." I sighed. "I'm not being rational. Sorry for calling you an idiot."

"You're not." He grinned at me and I couldn't help but lean in, using my free hand to push his hair back and really look at him.

"I thought-" I stopped myself, shaking my head, trying to push all the negative thoughts out of it.

"I'm fine." He released my hand to claps onto the one I had on his cheek. Moving his head to place a soft kiss to my palm. "I'm glad you're here."

"Where else would I be?" and I nearly cooed when his cheeks reddened a bit, instead I leaned in to place a chaste kiss to his lips. "You don't just stay away from the person you're in love with."

That was not how I'd planned to say that. It really wasn't. At all.

My life was suddenly becoming a series of clichés. It honestly seemed as if I had taken Cliché 101 in high school.

I pulled back wide eyed, waiting for a reaction.

"You finally admitted it." Armand grinned.

"What?" Seriously, what?

"I've been waiting for you to admit it out loud. I didn't want to say it and scare you off." Armand continued on grinning. "Plus, you don't need to literally say 'I love you' to a person to demonstrate that you do. Even though it is nice to hear it."

I could only stare at him.

"I'm in love with you." He still had that stupidly beautiful grin on his face. "In case you were wondering."

Is this really happening?

"That first time I said it, it was more like an 'I love this, I love what I know of you, I love being with you right now'," he continued as I gaped at him like a fool. "But I got to actually know who you really are and I can't imagine being with someone that's not you. I love you and all of your flaws, even when you snore."

"I do not snore!"

Armand grinned triumphantly, as if he was expecting just that reaction. God, he drove me crazy.

"I'm really, really happy you're okay." I smiled, reaching for the stool next to his bed to sit down.

"Me too." He grinned. "I can't die, not yet. I've still got to convince you to marry me and have our children."

I felt my face heat up and my heart started beating faster. This guy really wants to give me a heart attack.

"Let's not talk about that. Not yet."