Bound Together by Eliza Jane Read Free Book Online Page B

now,” I said, not meeting her eyes.
    “I can’ t just leave you here alone. ”
    I was quiet, trying to figure out what she meant.
    “ I already told Mr. Rhinehart that you weren’t feeling well and that we’d meet up with everyone later But if you don’t want me here, I could pr obably still catch up with them. ”
    I opened my eyes again. Zoey was sitting next to me on the bed, her blue eyes full o f concern. “I want you to stay,” I said softly.
    “Okay then. ” She stood up and moved to the end of the bed and removed my shoes and set them neatly beside my suitcase.
    I scooted down on the bed and laid my head against the pillow. I felt like shit, my neck was stiff, my palms were cold and sweaty and I was nauseous. I really hoped I wouldn’t get sick in front of her. She sat down across from me on Bobby’s bed and looked at me. “Thanks for taking care of me,” I said.
    “It’s okay, I’m used to it.”
    I didn’t have the brain capacity to try and interpret what that meant. I nstead, I concentrate d on my breathing, but the room continued to spin , and while headaches normally helped me feel closer to John, I just felt alone and really far from home.
    I knew she wasn’t the type to worry about keeping up appearances, so I knew she wouldn’t judge me for letting my guard down right now and so I did. “ Zoey ?” I said without opening my eyes.
    “Yeah?” she whispered.
    “Can you come lay with me?”
    She hesitated.
    “Please. I think it will help. ” I reached a hand out towards her.
    I felt the bed shift as she sat down next to me on t he narrow mattress and reluctantly lay down next to me. She kept her body rigidly balanced on the edge of the bed, so that we weren’t touching, but after a few seconds, I inched in closer.
    The second I felt her against me, an easy calmness washed over me. I curled my body around hers and felt grounded by the way our chests rose and fell together, stopping the room from spinning. It should have felt strange to be lying here with Zoey Marshall , but the thing that worried me the most was that it didn’t.
     

 
     
    Chapter Eleven
    Zoey
     
    Well that was the str angest two hours I’d ever spent — in Matt’s arms in a hotel room in Paris . Just wait until Morgan heard this story. Th ere was nothing sexual about it — it had been like taking care of one of my brothers. Lord knows Charlie had asked me to sleep in his room countless times when we were growing up. He had an intense fear of monsters all of second grade. That’s all this was, Matt at his weakest, altho ugh I was a little surprised he’ d let me see him at his most vulnerable.
    I’d gone into M om - mode, nothing more. At least I’d felt useful for the first time on this trip. I wasn’t used to only being responsible for myself. And I did kind of like it when he closed his eyes while I raked my fingers through his hair to massage his scalp .
    He’d woken up i n a completely different state — bright eyed and ready to go see the city. He kept apologizing about making me miss our first excursion of the day, but I honestly didn’t care that much. After we checked into the hotel, I’d taken off on my own to get away from Amanda and walked up and down the block our hotel was one. The fear of getting lost kept me from going too far, but I’d sat down beside a fountain and became enamored with the details of this place that felt so completely differe nt than anything at home. Cocky pink - footed pigeons danced at my feet, and people everyone were effortlessly cool in tailored shirts and trim-fit jeans. Paris had a coolness factor, an air to it that dared you to try and become a Parisian. The charming shops along the uneven cobblestone street bore names like B rasserie , Patisserie. And there were sidewalk cafés galore where people lingered over bottles of wine, cigarettes and conversations that sounded all the more fascinating spoken in their accented French.
    By the time I made it back to