Page 84 of Just One Silver Fox

She had time to wish she hadn’t and to fear she’d stepped over the line and made a mistake—and then her phone rang.

Nate!

* * *

Nate had just conqueredthe most recent simulated lock and had lost track of the time. He pushed a hand through his hair and stretched, spared a glance at the darkness outside the windows, then eyed his time with satisfaction. He was getting good at this.

Then his phone chimed.

Are you awake?

Sonia.

Just after one in the morning.

It couldn’t be a coincidence that it was the same time she’d had her nightmare the night before. She had to have had it again.

Nate didn’t reply to her text: he just called her.

She picked up right away.

“Did I wake you up?” There was so much relief in her voice that Nate was glad he’d followed his impulse.

“Nobody wakes me up that fast,” he said easily. “I was just catching up on some work.”

“That much to do?”

“I really want to get this right.”

She laughed, which was reassuring. “I can tell.”

“Did you have your nightmare again?” He stretched out his legs, bracing his feet on the coffee table.

“Good guess.”

“Not so good as that. You said it was recurring.”

“Been there and done that?” she asked lightly.

“Absolutely. Nights were the worst. I called because thought you might need to talk.”

“Thank you,” Sonia said, her heart in her voice. She sounded like she was getting comfortable, too. He could imagine her sitting up in bed, fluffing the pillows, those fairy lights twinkling overhead. The image made him smile.

“It’s what friends are for.”

“Yes.” There was a pause, then she spoke more firmly. “And yes, I did have it again tonight.”

“Do you have it every night?”

“No.” Sonia cleared her throat. “Only when I make a change or am particularly afraid of being found. I’ve looked for the patterns, so I can try to anticipate it, and those are the two big cues.” Her voice brightened. “How was the drive?”

“Fine.” Nate decided to say what he was thinking. “But I’m bothered by what Katia said, even though it’s none of my business.”

“Satan and his handmaiden,” she said, recognizing what bothered him.

“And you feeling like you had to go down on me,” he said. “I’m wondering what your step-father expected of you.” There. He’d said it out loud.

There was silence for a moment.

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