Remember Me

14

James handed me a coffee mug of hot chocolate before sitting down on the couch beside me. "How are you feeling?"

I sighed and stared down at the brown liquid. "Not great."

He rubbed my back, his usual intensity gone.

I leaned into his side. "Does this mean we're not safe anymore? Nicoli and I?"

"I'm having security look at the tapes to see who did this."

My eyes widened and I nearly dropped the mug. "There's cameras around here?"

He looked down at me, surprised by my question, with a brow raised. "We have to keep an eye on you somehow."

That was how he knew everything I did. He knew I talked to Nicoli and Blair that day. He knew what I did in the shower. He probably even knew I slept with Nicoli.

Crap. How screwed was I?

I took a sip of the hot chocolate and tried to calm my frantic heartbeat. "How long can I stay with you?"

"A few days. We have extra rooms the two of you can stay in."

"I get my own room?"

"It's safer this way if you're separated from Nicoli."

I turned to face him and put the mug on the coffee table. "Wouldn't it be safer for me to stay here with you?"

"You know the rules about staying with me, Sterling. We can't-"

"Why? How is it any different now than if we had a baby to take care of?"

"We were told to keep ourselves separated so the line is clear. The last thing they want is subjects forgetting their place."

"They?"

"There's a board of doctors who are in charge. They set the rules into place and keep things running smoothly."

"Why can't you guys just do that?"

"Some doctors have a lack of judgement that clouds their decisions."

I ran my fingers over the dark blue sweater he was wearing. "I wish you were in charge."

"Why's that?"

"Then you could make the rules and we could live together. I hate being apart from you."

"That does sound nice." He pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips to mine. His hands found the small of my back and held me close to him.

"James..." I breathed, my eyes closed.

He kissed my jaw and moved his lips to my neck. "Yes?"

"Can we try again?"

He exhaled against my neck and lowered me to the cushions. I stared up at him as he pulled his sweater off and dropped it to the floor. "Are you sure you're up for this?"

I nodded and started unbuttoning his pants.

He took my hands and pinned them over my head. "Let me do it, princess. You just relax."

I watched as he pulled his pants off and slid mine off me. He pulled my shirt off and ran his fingers over my stomach.

"Soon, my beautiful girl."

I sat up on my elbows and kissed him. I wasn't attracted to James but the cute names he always called me made me feel something. I didn't love James and I knew I never would. But I wanted to be in love and have someone love me back. It would have made this awful place just a little more bearable. So if I could pretend it with James... I'd do it.