Miss Fortune

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alex let her eyes close as she tucked her head against Thorin's chest, her fingers moving gently along the line of adhesive tape holding the gauze against his chest. "Does it hurt?"

"It's a little sore, but really, I'm fine, honey, really." He covered her hand with his to still it, while his other hand skimmed along her hair. They were in her room, stretched out on her bed, watching the New York Yankees take on the Boston Red Sox, and she fought to stay awake.

"Do I want to know why you're dressed like a doctor?"

"My shirt was taken in as evidence," he replied, his voice soft and drowsy, "and I didn't feel like parading thorough the ER half dressed, so I asked the nurse if she could find me something."

The scrub top in question lay in a ball at the foot of the bed, but it was the only clothing to come off either one of them. Alex could hear Gram and her sisters moving about downstairs, could hear the soft buzz of their conversation, but she didn't care. Dinner had been its usual, lively meal, with Gram peppering Thorin with a million questions, which he answered with humor and honesty.

"I hope Gram didn't make you too uncomfortable."

"Don't worry, I'm a big boy, Alex. I can handle your grandmother wanting to know if my intentions toward you are honorable." His fingers trailed lightly along her hair, then down over her arm. "She's concerned about you. She loves you."

"I know, but—"

"And so do I," he broke in softly.

Her words died on her lips as she lifted her head. "What?"

In the soft glow of the television, he looked wiped out, his eyes heavy-lidded, dark shadows beneath them. Still, his eyes glittered at he looked up to meet hers and whispered, "I love you, Lexi."

"Thorin?"

"What? Frerin's right. I've been wasting time, too fucking scared to say anything." He reached up to trail his fingertips along her cheek and she had fight off the urge to let her eyes close at the soft stroke. "He's been hounding me for the last week to just man up and say it. And I really hope I haven't just fucked everything up between the two of us, that I'm not scaring you off, because I know we've only gone out a few times and maybe you think it's too soon, but I love you and I'm not taking those words back. And if I did just fuck up, and you want me to leave, I'll go, but I'm not sorry I finally had the balls to say it to you."

She pressed her lips together at the seriousness in his blue eyes, in his deep voice, and for a moment, it seemed as if her heart had forgotten its rhythm. Her mind raced with what to say back that didn't sound trite or cutesy or just plain stupid, because despite what Frerin insisted, she didn't believe Thorin Durin would ever fall in love with her. This simply did not happen to her.

"Thorin."

"What? I'm not. The words are out there and I—I don't give a damn. I love you, Alex. And I think I have since you tried to convince me Richter was a better goalie than Hank."

Now she smiled. Smiled and shook her head and said, "You're crazy, you know."

"Crazy?"

"Yeah, crazy. Richter was better, and it is kind of soon, but you aren't scaring me, you know. Because I love you, too."

"Wait, what was that?"

"You heard me, Detective."

A slow smile curved his lips. "Say it again."

"Say what?"

"Tell me you love me."

"I love you."

His eyes practically sparkled, his thumb grazing along the curve of her cheek. "I like how that sounds."