and gazed down the road. A sign that
promised food beckoned me, but I shook my head. It was no use
pretending food would win. Whether it was the pull or her
fragility, Bethi owned me. I couldn’t walk away from her. If that
meant suffering without food and sleep, so be it.
A soft cry reached me. I was up and moving to
the door without thinking about it. Without pausing, I let myself
in. She lay on the bed, on top the covers, twitching just like she
had while on the bike. Although I couldn’t see her face, I could
smell her fear. Her dreams once again weren’t pleasant.
“Bethi,” I said, hesitantly touching her leg.
I hated to wake her but wasn’t sure what else to do. Not true. I
knew what I could try. She’d slept peacefully in my arms twice now.
My hand trembled. I just wasn’t sure I was ready for another
go.
She cried out again, deciding me. Kicking off
my shoes, I moved around the bed and carefully eased her over so
she was positioned head to foot instead of side to side. Once she
was comfortably situated, I settled on the covers, laying on my
side.
In her sleep, her face looked no less relaxed
or rested. Her eyes moved frantically behind her closed lids, and
her turned down mouth seemed more sad than angry.
She rolled onto her back and continued to
whimper in her sleep. I knew what she needed, but hesitated to pull
her closer. Each time we touched, each moment together made keeping
my distance harder. Eventually, I wouldn’t be able to let go.
A tear leaked from the corner of her eye, and
I knew I was delaying the inevitable. She needed me. And I’d give
her whatever she needed when she needed it. Wrapping an arm around
her waist, I pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
“No more bad dreams, luv. Only the good ones
in my arms.”
She rolled again so her back was pressed
against my chest. A shiver ran through me at the contact. We fit
perfectly. Curling around her protectively, I relaxed and let
myself enjoy the moment. My Mate was in my arms. It wasn’t more
than holding and wouldn’t be more than holding for a very long
time, but it was perfect.
We stayed like that for a while. When her
breathing no longer hitched with unshed tears, I tiredly got up and
hid her shoes. I wanted sleep, and she liked trying to run away
from me. I didn’t want to make that an easy option if she woke
before me.
Taking her in my arms once more, I closed my
eyes.
* * * *
A change in her breathing brought me
instantly awake. It wasn’t like I’d been heavily sleeping anyway.
After the first six hours, I’d woken to use the loo. By the time
I’d returned to bed, she’d already started to become restless. So I
had lain awake for the next two hours just holding her and
breathing in her scent before dozing again.
I glanced at the bedside clock. Almost ten
hours had passed. My stomach had long since stopped growling
complaints. Now, it chewed on my backbone.
Easing my arms from around her, I created
some space between us, which I filled in with a line of pillows.
After making our sleeping arrangement appear suitably respectable,
I settled onto my back and watched her.
It didn’t take her long to wake the rest of
the way. She yawned and stretched loudly. When her hand accidently
landed on my face, she froze. Complete shock registered on her
features, and I grinned. Shock was a cute look on her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she
demanded as she sat up.
“You were having a bad dream. I came in to
wake you, but you quieted. So I decided to use my time wisely and
sleep, too.”
She narrowed her gaze, not believing my tale.
I quickly gestured to the line of pillows separating us.
“I kept it proper. See?”
She took a large breath, obviously winding up
for a long scolding.
“I don’t care if you put a—”
“I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
I rose from the bed, grabbed my jacket with
her hidden shoes, and moved toward the door.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying
to do. I
promised food beckoned me, but I shook my head. It was no use
pretending food would win. Whether it was the pull or her
fragility, Bethi owned me. I couldn’t walk away from her. If that
meant suffering without food and sleep, so be it.
A soft cry reached me. I was up and moving to
the door without thinking about it. Without pausing, I let myself
in. She lay on the bed, on top the covers, twitching just like she
had while on the bike. Although I couldn’t see her face, I could
smell her fear. Her dreams once again weren’t pleasant.
“Bethi,” I said, hesitantly touching her leg.
I hated to wake her but wasn’t sure what else to do. Not true. I
knew what I could try. She’d slept peacefully in my arms twice now.
My hand trembled. I just wasn’t sure I was ready for another
go.
She cried out again, deciding me. Kicking off
my shoes, I moved around the bed and carefully eased her over so
she was positioned head to foot instead of side to side. Once she
was comfortably situated, I settled on the covers, laying on my
side.
In her sleep, her face looked no less relaxed
or rested. Her eyes moved frantically behind her closed lids, and
her turned down mouth seemed more sad than angry.
She rolled onto her back and continued to
whimper in her sleep. I knew what she needed, but hesitated to pull
her closer. Each time we touched, each moment together made keeping
my distance harder. Eventually, I wouldn’t be able to let go.
A tear leaked from the corner of her eye, and
I knew I was delaying the inevitable. She needed me. And I’d give
her whatever she needed when she needed it. Wrapping an arm around
her waist, I pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
“No more bad dreams, luv. Only the good ones
in my arms.”
She rolled again so her back was pressed
against my chest. A shiver ran through me at the contact. We fit
perfectly. Curling around her protectively, I relaxed and let
myself enjoy the moment. My Mate was in my arms. It wasn’t more
than holding and wouldn’t be more than holding for a very long
time, but it was perfect.
We stayed like that for a while. When her
breathing no longer hitched with unshed tears, I tiredly got up and
hid her shoes. I wanted sleep, and she liked trying to run away
from me. I didn’t want to make that an easy option if she woke
before me.
Taking her in my arms once more, I closed my
eyes.
* * * *
A change in her breathing brought me
instantly awake. It wasn’t like I’d been heavily sleeping anyway.
After the first six hours, I’d woken to use the loo. By the time
I’d returned to bed, she’d already started to become restless. So I
had lain awake for the next two hours just holding her and
breathing in her scent before dozing again.
I glanced at the bedside clock. Almost ten
hours had passed. My stomach had long since stopped growling
complaints. Now, it chewed on my backbone.
Easing my arms from around her, I created
some space between us, which I filled in with a line of pillows.
After making our sleeping arrangement appear suitably respectable,
I settled onto my back and watched her.
It didn’t take her long to wake the rest of
the way. She yawned and stretched loudly. When her hand accidently
landed on my face, she froze. Complete shock registered on her
features, and I grinned. Shock was a cute look on her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she
demanded as she sat up.
“You were having a bad dream. I came in to
wake you, but you quieted. So I decided to use my time wisely and
sleep, too.”
She narrowed her gaze, not believing my tale.
I quickly gestured to the line of pillows separating us.
“I kept it proper. See?”
She took a large breath, obviously winding up
for a long scolding.
“I don’t care if you put a—”
“I’m starving. Let’s eat.”
I rose from the bed, grabbed my jacket with
her hidden shoes, and moved toward the door.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying
to do. I
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