Bad Boy Vacation

24. Sexy Ninja Skills

Charlie's POV

I lie down in my hospital bed and attempt to find a comfortable position.

After settling, I look over to Ace. He was wearing a gray hoodie and his head was resting on his shoulder.

I could feel my cheeks turn red, and not because I was feverish.

I fought the sudden need to sneeze.

I didn't want to wake him up, not when he looked so peacefully.

I know for a fact that I looked like complete crap when I was asleep. Nora has plenty of incriminating evidence to attest to that. Ace, on the other hand, looked equally gorgeous when he was sleeping as he did when he was awake.

He gave me butterflies.

Thankfully, my sneeze subsided.

As I gaze intently at him, his eyes flutter open. In a panic, I close mine and pretend that I am sleeping.

While my eyesight is obscured by my eyelids, I hear him shuffle in place as he lets out a yawn.

I am full on panicking right now.

Why am I panicking?

The sound of his shoes slightly squeaking as he walked across the room caused a pit to form in my stomach.

Was he leaving?

Not wanting him to leave, I decide to speak, my voice coming out as faint and hoarse. "Are you leaving?"

I hear his footsteps pause as I opened my eyes. A soft sigh escapes from his mouth.

"How long have you been awake?" He asked casually, as if the situation that we were currently in was considered casual.

Instead of answer his question, I repeated my own, this time more pointed and desperate. "Are you leaving?"

He came back into view and slowly approached me.

"Don't come too close." I warned him. "I'm sick." I stated the obvious. "You'll probably get sick too."

He brushes a hand through his chocolate colored hair. "I don't care."

He continues moving closer, taking the seat that was right next to the bed.

"I didn't think that you were going to come." I say with an averted gaze, my heart beginning to ache at the thought.

A silence followed. It was the kind of silence that nearly made my ears bleed.

Then, his hand reaches for mine. "I'm here." His voice is deep and magnetic.

I turned to look him in the eyes.

"Im so sorry, Charlie." He says, shaking his head at himself. "I've been so stupid. No, I've been a monumental jackass."

Tears prick at his eyes.

"What's going on with you?" I asked him.

He looks upward towards the ceiling, blinking the tears away as he takes a sharp breath.

"I'm a mess." He says, his voice quavering.

I shift over in the hospital bed, making enough room for him. He wipes over his eyes before standing and slowly taking the empty space beside me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Will you ever forgive me?" He asked.

It takes a strong person
to say they're sorry,
and an even stronger
person to forgive.