Dauntless Blood

Eleven

~Eric's POV~

I finally lead Cade to my room, noticing she had gone quiet. I looked at her and saw she was blushing a little, but she looked away.

"You okay," I ask her for probably the tenth time.

She shook her head this time and that's when I noticed her beautiful eyes were worried. I watched her sit on my bed, then she took her left arm out of the sling. I sit beside her and watch her wrap her arms around her stomach.

She looked at her feet and stayed quiet. I softly sigh, then I pull her close and onto my lap. She softly squeaked, but she tucked her head under my chin.

"I still don't get why you're being nice," she whispered softly.

"The only other reason I know is because you're scared you'll be faction-less and you need a friend other than Ryn," I reply.

She looked up at me and I felt my heart skip a beat as her purple eyes stared into my blue ones. She tucked her head under my chin again and hugged me.

"I want to take this slow if we are going to be a thing," she whispered against my right shoulder.

"Of course," I tell her, laying on my back.

I felt her starting to relax with her head on my chest, then she yawned softly. I take her hair down and gently rub my hands through it. She yawned again and hiccuped, but she blushed and giggled.

I watch Cade start to fall asleep, then she started to snore and curled close to me. I watch her as I began to think of how to keep our relationship a secret until Cade was ready for it to be known.

I listen to her breathing, finding myself oddly calmed by it and the way she cuddled against me. I began to wonder how to protect her.

What do I do now?