Leah
I led Darien back into the disaster zone that was the kitchen, my heart pounding with a mixture of guilt and something else I refused to examine too closely.
“Here, lean down,” I said, guiding him toward the sink.
“Is this where you finish me off?” His tone was light, teasing despite the fact that his eyes were probably melting.
I turned on the cold water and grabbed a clean towel, wetting it thoroughly. “Hold still.”
I gently wiped his face, careful to get every trace of the sauce. His eyes were closed, his jaw tight, but he didn’t pull away. Didn’t complain. Just stood there and let me take care of him.
“Okay, I need you to hold your eyes open in this bowl of water,” I said, filling a large bowl with cool water. “It’ll help with the burn.”
He did as instructed without questio
