Read Online Forsaking All Others (From This Day Forward Book 2) by Shannon Myers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shannon Myers
Ads: Link
experiencing a lot more with the pregnancy and I drift off.
I awaken hours later to a tickling sensation on my cheek. I’m lying on my side and David’s body is spooned around mine, his nose buried in my hair and his beard tickling my face. His arm is draped across my hip and his hand absentmindedly strokes my stomach. I still.
Does he know?
“Does Jess know you’re here right now?” I don’t know why I say it. It’s unfair, but I could easily slip into this role of playing house with him if I’m not careful. I’m wrapped up in a dangerous fantasy here.
His hand stops moving and I can feel him stiffen up behind me. His voice sounds gravelly when he finally answers me. “No, she doesn’t know I’m here. Why? —you call up Landon and let him know?”
I exhale forcefully, my bladder giving me a painful reminder to end this argument before it gets out of hand, “No—I haven’t spoken to Landon since that day in the parking lot. Considering his ex-girlfriend is missing, I doubt he’d care.”
“You think he did it?”
His question surprises me and I roll over to face him, my unruly hair falling in waves over my face. I brush it out of my eyes and whisper, “I don’t know. I’m sure he’s suspect number one though.”
He reaches out and tucks more strands of hair behind my ear, “I’m not comfortable leaving you alone until we have more answers.”
I pull away from him, “You can’t make that call, David,” I sit up in bed and gesture at him, “You—being here—it’s confusing as hell. I want you almost as much as I want my next breath, but you’re having a baby with Jess. I can’t foresee any outcome that works for us.”
He sits up and grabs onto my arms, “So, you want me. You don’t want to be with Landon?”
My head drops in frustration, “That’s what you took away from this? No, I don’t want Landon. I can’t relate to the woman that cheated on her husband. It makes me sick, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened,” I pull away and swing my legs down off of the bed, “Now, I have to pee so can we put this on hold for a sec?”
“Yep.” He comes around to help me up.
“I’m fine.”
“Beth, you passed out earlier. I’m not taking any more chances with you today.”
He guides me into the bathroom, but doesn’t leave. “Uh, David, could you wait outside?”
He grumbles about having seen it all before, but leaves nonetheless.
It’s afterward, when I’m washing my hands that the nausea decides to make a sudden reappearance. I clench my teeth together in a vain attempt to keep the chicken fried steak in my stomach. I will force my stomach to obey me.
Just wait until he’s gone.
Once he’s gone, I can vomit to my heart’s content. Seriously?
Please stomach, I’ll give you a cracker.
My stomach and I are not on the same page. I begin dry heaving and then my lunch comes up, followed by breakfast. I’m trying to do it as quietly as possible, but I hear the bathroom door open.
“Beth? Jesus, are you okay?” David comes over and pulls my hair back out of my face, “Let me get you a wet washcloth.”
I nod, or at least I think I do and sit back against the wall. He places the cold washcloth against the back of my neck and picks me up as though I weigh nothing. After letting me brush my teeth, he lifts me again. A small part of me thinks I should fight him on this, but I don’t have the energy at the moment. He talks to me as he carries me back to bed, the deep timbre of his voice soothes me.
“—you ate the same thing as me so I wonder if you might have a bug or maybe just the stress of the day got to you.” He places me on the bed before continuing his thoughts, “Either way, I want you in bed resting. I’ll run out and get you some ginger ale—”
I place my hand on his arm, “David, you’ve done enough. Really. I just need to sleep and I’ll feel better. You can go, I’ll be fine.”
He tenses up, “I already told you
I awaken hours later to a tickling sensation on my cheek. I’m lying on my side and David’s body is spooned around mine, his nose buried in my hair and his beard tickling my face. His arm is draped across my hip and his hand absentmindedly strokes my stomach. I still.
Does he know?
“Does Jess know you’re here right now?” I don’t know why I say it. It’s unfair, but I could easily slip into this role of playing house with him if I’m not careful. I’m wrapped up in a dangerous fantasy here.
His hand stops moving and I can feel him stiffen up behind me. His voice sounds gravelly when he finally answers me. “No, she doesn’t know I’m here. Why? —you call up Landon and let him know?”
I exhale forcefully, my bladder giving me a painful reminder to end this argument before it gets out of hand, “No—I haven’t spoken to Landon since that day in the parking lot. Considering his ex-girlfriend is missing, I doubt he’d care.”
“You think he did it?”
His question surprises me and I roll over to face him, my unruly hair falling in waves over my face. I brush it out of my eyes and whisper, “I don’t know. I’m sure he’s suspect number one though.”
He reaches out and tucks more strands of hair behind my ear, “I’m not comfortable leaving you alone until we have more answers.”
I pull away from him, “You can’t make that call, David,” I sit up in bed and gesture at him, “You—being here—it’s confusing as hell. I want you almost as much as I want my next breath, but you’re having a baby with Jess. I can’t foresee any outcome that works for us.”
He sits up and grabs onto my arms, “So, you want me. You don’t want to be with Landon?”
My head drops in frustration, “That’s what you took away from this? No, I don’t want Landon. I can’t relate to the woman that cheated on her husband. It makes me sick, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened,” I pull away and swing my legs down off of the bed, “Now, I have to pee so can we put this on hold for a sec?”
“Yep.” He comes around to help me up.
“I’m fine.”
“Beth, you passed out earlier. I’m not taking any more chances with you today.”
He guides me into the bathroom, but doesn’t leave. “Uh, David, could you wait outside?”
He grumbles about having seen it all before, but leaves nonetheless.
It’s afterward, when I’m washing my hands that the nausea decides to make a sudden reappearance. I clench my teeth together in a vain attempt to keep the chicken fried steak in my stomach. I will force my stomach to obey me.
Just wait until he’s gone.
Once he’s gone, I can vomit to my heart’s content. Seriously?
Please stomach, I’ll give you a cracker.
My stomach and I are not on the same page. I begin dry heaving and then my lunch comes up, followed by breakfast. I’m trying to do it as quietly as possible, but I hear the bathroom door open.
“Beth? Jesus, are you okay?” David comes over and pulls my hair back out of my face, “Let me get you a wet washcloth.”
I nod, or at least I think I do and sit back against the wall. He places the cold washcloth against the back of my neck and picks me up as though I weigh nothing. After letting me brush my teeth, he lifts me again. A small part of me thinks I should fight him on this, but I don’t have the energy at the moment. He talks to me as he carries me back to bed, the deep timbre of his voice soothes me.
“—you ate the same thing as me so I wonder if you might have a bug or maybe just the stress of the day got to you.” He places me on the bed before continuing his thoughts, “Either way, I want you in bed resting. I’ll run out and get you some ginger ale—”
I place my hand on his arm, “David, you’ve done enough. Really. I just need to sleep and I’ll feel better. You can go, I’ll be fine.”
He tenses up, “I already told you
Similar Books
