Page 109 of Ensnared
I yawn.
“You’re tired,” he says. “We can talk about details tomorrow.”
“What do you suggest we do about this?” I point back and forth between us.
He shrugs. “I already proposed my solution. You vetoed it.”
I huff.
Axel’s being entirely too reasonable.
“Fine.” I point at my door. “But you’re sleeping on the floor.”
He puts up not a single protest. I don’t even give him a pillow, expecting him to complain about that, but he doesn’t. He simply lies on his back, closes his eyes, and sighs.
“Wait,” I say. “You don’t sleep.”
“I’m going to take my weekly downtime,” he says. “Seems like a good time. No one’s coming after us right now. Everyone who wanted to already has.”
Solid logic. He defeated the humans today. He caged Ocharta. Good enough time for him to process his gas or whatever it is. Dragons are weird.
I watch him as he powers down. His features go slack. His muscles relax.
“Are you worried that I’m here?” I ask.
His eyes open and focus on me, but nothing else shifts. “Should I be?”
I shake my head.
He closes his eyes.
Not long after he powers down, I drift off, too.
When I wake up the next morning, I’m warm. I’m relaxed too. I slept better than I have in a long time. Warm arms are wrapped around me, and they tighten, pulling me closer. “Morning.”
His breath on my ear startles me, and I scoot away, almost falling off the bed.
“Easy, there.” He drags me close again.
“You were supposed to sleep on the floor.” I sit up, clutching the blankets against me as if that somehow makes things better.
Axel sits up. “I don’t sleep, remember?”
I point. “The floor.”
He’s smiling now. “You’re cute in the morning.”
I slap his chest, and he snags my hand, his fingers wrapping around mine. “I like being entwined. It’s. . .bright.”
The door bursts open, and Sammy runs through. “Hey, Liz, can I—” He stops, his mouth dangling open. “Why’s he in here?” His left eyebrow arches.
“We’re together,” Axel says.
Now my mouth’s dangling open. “No,” I say. “No way.”
“Why’s your hair bright red?” Sammy asks. “Did you dye it?”
“My—no, he’s not?—”
