Page 36 of Limbo

A massive drawback to my poorly thought-out plan surfaces. I’ve let my guard down, and without knowing how it plays out, given Jordan everything he needs to hurt me, whether he knows it or not. And come Friday, he might end up doing just that.

Ugh. This is Graham’s fault. If he had replied, I wouldn’t be all doom and gloom. Instead, he’s ruined my day without being present, more than likely his intentions all along when he decided not to answer me. He always finds a way to get to me, no matter how long it takes or what methods he needs to resort to.

“You stopped,” Jordan says.

Caught up with everything that’s supposed to be hours away, I didn’t even notice my hand stalling out. I reenter the land of the here and now where a sexy guy is staring up at me.

The tension in my muscles releases when I focus on him, and I smile. “I’m not sitting here all night, stroking your hair.”

A twinkle hits his eyes. “Ah, easily solved.” He rolls out of bed and onto his feet. “Lie down.”

“What? Jordan, I’m not—”

He wraps his hands around my ankles and drags me down the mattress.

“Okay!” I concede, moving the rest of the way without his help.

I lie on my side, and his grin appears as he crawls in with me. After a dramatic show of shifting around, he settles in, facing me, and sets my hand on the back of his head again.

“Carry on.”

I resume trailing my fingers through his hair. Jordan rests his hand on my hip and locks me in his intense gaze until my head swims, and by the time it drops to my mouth, I no longer care why he’s here. I just want him to stay.

Both of us are breathing faster when he looks up. He eases his hand to my cheek like he expects me to stop him, but I don’t. I’m almost to a point where Ineedto feel his lips on mine. But then he leans in and presses a kiss to my forehead, those lips lingering before he settles back on the pillow.

“Goodnight, beautiful.”

I stare at his closed eyes, caught off guard. Jordan Waters from a week ago wouldn’t have hesitated to make a move. We would be all hands and tongues and peeling off clothes. In all honesty though, it’s this Jordan I want. The one who’s five seconds away, maybe even less.

As I lie there, listening to his breathing even out, my mind wanders back to Graham. The resentment creeps through me, spreading the way it always does. Each second, it drags me further back to a time I couldn’t feel anything else.

I lean over Jordan to shut off the lamp. He’s still asleep when he wraps his arms around me. He holds me tight against him, and I relax. All the thoughts threatening me go in a box, which retreats to a dark corner of my mind where none of it reaches me anymore.

I fall asleep with him protecting me.

Whether he knows it or not.

I wake up alone and force myself out of bed.

My shower consists of me trying to stop thoughts of Graham from seeping through my subconscious. Even pulling on my shirt and jeans brings on anxiety about packing to leave tomorrow. The frustrations grow, and the world in which I’m supposed to feel the freest from him feels smaller and more constricting than ever. For once, I want to decide where I spend my weekend. Just. Once.

When I come out of my room, Felicia looks up from where she’s painting her toenails on the couch.

“Jordan said the band’s going out for his birthday. Are you going?”

I shake my head, lowering down next to her. “Going home after my last class.”

Cam waltzes in, and her bag drops by the door. “Honeys, I’m home.” She leaps over Felicia’s legs and lands on the couch on the other side of her.

“Will you be upset if I go?” Felicia asks.

“No, please go celebrate with your BFF.”

She sticks her tongue out.

The door opens, Jordan letting himself in. What time he left, I’m not sure, but he looks tired, carrying three coffees rather than one. He smiles on his way over, and I feel a little better. A little more here.

He raises his eyebrows, examining the three of us on the couch. “Good morning, Angels.”

---