Page 17 of Unraveled Love

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I chuckled and kissed her forehead. “That was no sacrifice, honey.”

She laughed softly, her warm puffs of breath tickling the hair at my chest, and she fell asleep.

I held her as long as I could stand, until I turned fully soft and slid out of her. Carefully, I rolled her to her side, and while she slept, I cleaned both of us before crawling back into the bed with her.

After the last two days, I didn’t think sleep would come so easily for me, but Addi was safe, curled into my chest as if it was a lifelong habit.

I’d never let her go again.

* * *

“No!”

A wretched scream vibrated in my ears and yanked me from sleep.

Next to me, Addi thrashed beneath the sheets, clawing at them, fighting to get out of the mess she’d tangled herself in. At some point, she’d moved to the far side of the mattress, and I threw myself out of bed when she cried out and screamed, a guttural sound that coiled something dark in my gut.

She was dripping in sweat, beads of it on her forehead, glistening from the glow of the lamp I’d left on in case this happened.

It took seconds for me to dig through a mess of clothes and grab my boxers, seconds to rush to the other side of the bed before I picked her up.

“Stop! No!” She swung her arm toward my face. I ducked to the side, managing to grab her wrist before that palm met my cheek.

“Addi,” I barked, holding her tight against me. Her feet kicked, legs scrambling to get away, and I wrapped them around my own legs. “Addi. Wake up.” I kissed her forehead, tasting the sting of salt and sweat as tears poured down her cheeks.

Jesus.

I’d known this would happen after finding her losing it in the shower earlier. My heart raced as I clung to her tightly, wrapping her up in my arms and my body. I kept kissing her, calling her name, telling her she was safe until slowly, the fight drained from her and her tense fingers loosened, splayed against my chest.

“Shawn?”

“Yeah.” A rush of relief loosened my shoulders. “I’m here. You’re okay.”

“Oh God,” she cried and tried to push off me. Wet hair was matted to her cheeks and neck and back, but I didn’t give a shit. “I’m so sorry.”

I cupped the back of her neck and held her firmly to me. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“Did I hurt you?”

A few bruises to my shins maybe before I fully secured her, nothing I couldn’t take. “No. I’ve got you.”

I held her until her heart rate slowed, returning to normal, and her body cooled despite being wrapped in my arms. “What do you need? A shower? More sleep?”

“I don’t think I’d fall back asleep.” She hiccupped over a cry, and I grabbed the corner of a sheet and wiped the tears from her cheeks and the sweat off her face. “I don’t know.”

“Then let me hold you. You’re okay, and I’m not going anywhere.”

She hiccupped again, and I closed my eyes, inhaled the hotel shampoo scent in her hair, the sweet scent of everything Addi, and counted theticksandtocksof the room’s clock until her breathing settled and she fell back asleep.

Then I let the irritating, soft ticking lull me back to sleep, Addi in my arms, curled into me and burning from her body heat.

* * *

I woketo soft hands on my stomach, quiet puffs of breath against my chest, and strands of Addi’s red hair somehow draped across my lips.

I blew out a breath and brushed them away. The sun hadn’t yet risen, but considering it was the beginning of March, that didn’t tell me how early or late I had slept in.

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