Page 84 of How You See Me
“For one, the mattress is super soft unlike the van seat. It was also dark and quiet in here. And I let out all my energy on the late-night run.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s all I can think of.”
I chuck a pillow at him, but he catches it in mid-air. “Oh! How could I forget? Most importantly, I had you in my arms to keep the nightmares away.”
The playfulness drains out of me. “You have those too?”
“Too?Youhave nightmares?”
I nod, picking at a loose curl. I’d been thinking about his flashback when I said it, hating how he had another horrible side effect from his service to deal with. But sincelosing my parents, I’ve had my fair share of fear-filled, sleepless nights.
“Sometimes. It’s been better lately but living alone with my memories doesn’t help. You know what I mean.”
His eyes darken in a way that makes my chest ache. He knows all too well.
“I do,” he says quietly. “Oh. I wanted to show you.” He fishes a reddish rock from his pocket. “Think Ava will like it?”
“Ava’s your baby sister? I don’t think you’ve mentioned her name before.” He’s trusting me a little more with his secrets, and it means so much.
He nods. “She wants smooth rocks from every location so she can paint them.”
I smile, remembering all the little drawings in my pantry back home. “I love that. That’s how I started. I’d paint and color and doodle on everything I could get my hands on.”
“Apparently, it’s a hard habit to break.”
“You saw them?”
“They were impossible to miss.”
“I’ve been doing that since I was a kid. My mom loved them.” Her face pops into my thoughts, but I don’t cry. I’m getting better at that. “When she’d find a new one, she’d stop whatever she was doing to ask me about it. I’d make up the most outlandish stories.”
“That’s beautiful. The ones I saw were interesting. I bet they have amazing stories.”
He couldn’t have said anything more meaningful. Ryder thought they were stupid and usually tossed whatever I hadthe audacity to defile with my marker into the trash. “Have I told you how sweet you are?”
“Not today.” He grins, lifting the tension. It’s all the encouragement I need to climb into his lap. I don’t care that I’m half-dressed or that we’re moving crazy fast. All I know is I need him closer.
I wrap both arms and legs around him, startling him at first, but he gives in and accepts me wholly.
“I like you, Hayes Montgomery.”
“I like you, too, Josie Jones.” He drops a kiss to my shoulder, and I feel it down to my toes. “We should probably talk to Jordan. The guilt is eating at me.”
Straightening, I search his gorgeous caramel eyes. “I’m a grown woman and don’t need his permission to date someone.”
He nods in agreement but worry lingers in his features. “I’m not justanyone. Being with me makes things different on many levels.”
“Okay. We’ll talk with him soon. Don’t worry.”
“Can’t help it. Your uncontrollable is fear. Mine is worrying.”
He rises and sets me on the floor before I can dig into that comment more. His broody tendencies have heavy demons behind them, and I regret all the times I joked about his grumpiness.
“Get dressed. We have more miles to cover today, and all that skin is messing with my brain.”
“Which one?” I tease, wiggling a finger in the air at his head, then, his shorts.
