Page 74 of Dream Chaser

But she did. And pursuing her felt too much like taking advantage of the vulnerable position she was in.

If she said yes, would that be out of fear of losing her job?

I left the room quietly, shutting the door behind me before heading for the kitchen. As I chopped carrots, onions, and peppers for the lentils in practiced, mechanical motions, dozens of what-ifs swirled through my brain. Different scenarios. Same outcome.

Her changing jobs. Resenting me. Starting over yet again, this time, without me.

“You’re back.”

Nova’s quiet voice sliced through my chaotic thoughts. She stood in the kitchen doorway, wrapped in a duvet, blinking slowly. Some color had returned to her cheeks, although she was still too pale.

“How are you feeling?” I asked, putting the knife down.

She sighed, leaning on the doorframe. “Better, but the spinning is still here. I thought it’d go away by now.”

“I’m staying here with you tonight. I brought a change of clothes.”

“You don’t have to,” she said, voice low and laced with indecision. “I’m sure I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”

I dumped the diced vegetables into the pan where two spoons of olive oil already sizzled and stirred them with a wooden spoon. “I’m not leaving you alone. The night is long. I’d rather be here in case you feel worse.”

“What are you making?”

She hadn’t asked me to leave. Good. I gave the vegetables another stir. “Lentils for tonight.”

“It smells delicious. Thank you.”

For a few minutes, she watched me cook. After the soup boiled, I reduced the heat, wiped my hands on a kitchen towel, and crossed to her. “Come on. You need to lie down. You shouldn’t be standing.”

“Yes, boss.” She chuckled, but as she took a step, she swayed. My arm shot out. I wrapped it around her shoulders, then picked her up.

“This is embarrassing,” Nova mumbled into my chest as I carried her to the bedroom. “But I can walk. You don’t need to carry me.”

“I’d rather you don’t get injured on my watch.” I placed her on the bed gently, then covered her with the duvet.

“You can sit here,” she said. “There’s nowhere else to sit, anyway. They’re delivering the couch tomorrow.”

I froze. “Tomorrow?”

Well, fuck. And she had only one bed. The floor wasn’t on top of the list of my favorite places to sleep, but leaving was out of the question.

“Yeah,” Nova whispered.

“It’s okay. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

She sat up. A flush spread over her cheeks, and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “I only have this duvet. No other blankets yet. But the bed is big enough for us both.”

My gaze swept over her face, searching for traces of doubt. It was an awful idea. This would bulldoze any remaining barriers between us, even though I wouldn’t let anything happen.

“You’ve been taking care of me all day,” Nova whispered as if sensing my hesitation. “I can’t let you sleep on the bare floor. You wouldn’t want me to sleep there, would you?”

I leaned against the door, arms crossed. “It’s different. I don’t want to overstep and make you uncomfortable.”

She pulled the duvet up to her chin. “We’re past that, don’t you think?”

A sigh left my chest. “Fine. I’ll go check the soup.”

In the kitchen, I stirred the boiling soup, my thoughts spinning. What the fuck was I even thinking, inviting myself to spend the night? When the food was ready, I found two bowls and spoons in the cupboard, then loaded everything onto a tray, and carried it to Nova’s room.