Chapter 329: Crazy
Adam paced the hospital hallway, his thoughts tangled with everything that had just happened. For the first time in his life, he’d felt a strange aversion to kissing Melanie. The realization unsettled him. He clenched his fists, trying to make sense of it. What was wrong with him? How could he have pulled away from her when they had been on the verge of a kiss?
He ran a hand through his hair and let out a deep sigh, eventually leaning back against the wall. There had to be something off with him. That was the only explanation. But what was the reason? Was it because of the stress and worry he’d been carrying over all that had happened to her recently? Could that be the reason he was hesitating to be close to her or being with her? As if she would break?
Whatever it was, he needed to figure it out-and fast. Melanie wasn’t naive. She hadn’t questioned the space he’d kept from her over the last few days, probably thinking it was because he was worried about her. But soon, she would be discharged from the hospital and sent home. Once that happened, he wouldn’t be able to avoid facing the truth, not even with distractions or distance. She would know something was wrong with him.
Still, even as the thought crossed his mind, he shook it off. Why was he even thinking like this? Not feel drawn to his Melon? That was impossible. Even if he somehow lost all sense of attraction one day, she’d be the only one who could bring it back. No one else could ever come close.
It had to be the hospital. The sterile environment, the beeping monitors, the weight of everything that had happened, all of it was probably throwing him off. That, combined with Melanie’s current vulnerability, was messing with his head. He’d always felt protective of her, but because of how independent she was, that feeling had never overwhelmed him. Now, though, she’d been almost clingy, and that unsettled him in a way he didn’t know how to handle.
What had really happened to her during the time she was missing and then thrown out of the car? When she was taken hostage? She was clearly holding something back-he had sensed that from the start. But still, he trusted her. If she wasn’t ready to share every detail with the police, then there had to be a reason. A good one. And when she was ready to talk, he’d be there. He always would be.
He took a deep breath and straightened, rubbing a hand over his face as if that might help clear the confusion in his head. Whatever this strange feeling was-this hesitation and this sudden pullback, he needed to get a grip on it before it did any more damage.
If nothing else, he couldn’t let Melanie feel like he was the one pulling away from her when she was already dealing with so much. The last thing she needed was to doubt him or wonder if something had changed between them. That meant he had to put in more effort now.
Just as he was about to walk back into the room and apologize to her for running away from the kiss, he saw Max approaching from the end of the hallway. Adam frowned, immediately sensing something was off. After all, he had just sent him off many minutes ago.
"Why haven’t you left yet?" he asked.