Page 63 of In the Danger Zone
Keeping my arms right around Daisy, I held her as close to me as I could get her. She laid there on my chest, the sound of her soft breathing confirming to me that she had fallen asleep. I kissed the top of her head, fully realizing that I had completely fallen for her. And I was so okay with that.
There was nowhere else I wanted to be but right there with her.
Chapter 29
DAISY
My eyes slowly fluttered open and all I felt was pure warmth. And not because I was wrapped up in so many blankets. It was because of who was right there next to me. Evan had me laying on his chest, one of my legs draped along his strong body. I sighed, quickly letting myself get lost in the feeling of him.
It had been a long, long time since I had felt so at ease. Most of my life had been spent looking over my shoulder and making all the right moves to stay hidden because of a certain someone. But that feeling was gone and I was left feeling so light. Like maybe that pain I always had could shrink down. It would never fade away to nothing. I knew that. But I didn’t have toalwaysbe so damn scared.
Nuzzling my nose into Evan’s chest, I let my mind get lost in thoughts of what happened last night. It had been absolute magic. Evan had been more than amazing. I could remember the feeling of him filling me up nice and slow, his thick length stretching me out. If I really focused, I could have sworn I still felt him inside of me.
“You awake, babe?” I heard Evan ask, his deep voice perfectly gravelly.
Craning my neck, I looked up at him. “Hi.”
“Morning.” He kissed the top of my head. “How you feeling? You okay?”
“I feel perfect.” I smiled as I said the words. “So perfect. Last n-night was… It was amazing. You were amazing.”
“You’re too sweet.” He kissed my head again, wrapping his strong arms right around me. “There’s no practice or anything today, so we get to do thisallday.”
“And what about your assignments?”
“I’ll just drop out. Screw college.”
Giggling, I let myself just feel Evan. His broad chest and his big arms and his warm form. He was all mine and I was all his. This time a couple months ago I never would have given Evan the chance to get so close to me. Paranoia had taken over and I had every right to distrust people. But Evan wasn’t the bad guy I thought he was. He was kind and loyal and protective. He was the opposite to what I had become accustomed to.
“You’re much more fun than some essays,” Evan continued. “I’ll probably fail those, anyway.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re n-not gonna fail.”
“I’m smart when it comes to hockey. And kicking ass. But Edgar Allen Pope and stuff? I dunno what’s going on there.”
Instead of correcting him, I just smiled. “Edgar Allen Pope has confused people for m-many, m-many decades. Don’t worry. You’re n-not alone in that.”
“Huh. That’s good to know.”
We spent the rest of the morning right there in my bed. The silence wasn’t awkward or anything. It all felt right as I laid there, my eyes shut, feeling like I was in the safest place on earth. Evan had a special way of making me feel like nothing and no one could get to me.
But once the clock hit eleven, we figured we’d have to move eventually. Leaving my too comfortable bed behind, I sat up, eyeing the floor. Our clothes were scattered all along the carpet. It was the kind of mess I wasn’t used to.
“Here.” Evan chuckled, handing me his jersey. “Love seeing you in that.”
Evan slid on his boxers and I got to work on pulling on his jersey, the material comforting against my skin.
“You got a spare toothbrush or something I can use?” Evan asked from the doorway of the bathroom.
“Oh, yeah. I have a couple. I’ll show you.” Moving into the bathroom, I eyed the small medicine cabinet. That was where I kept a few spare brushes I had brought when I moved in. I had thrown them to the top of the cabinet on day one. When I purchased them I had assumed I’d be the only one going through them, though. Standing on the tips of my toes, I reached up as I fumbled around for the packet. “They’re somewhere up here…”
“Here, lemme help.” Evan was suddenly at my side, one large hand reaching up. But he knocked something off the top of the cabinet: the bottle of cough medicine my parents insisted on me bringing to college.
The pink bottle flew down hard and fast, aiming right for my head. Evan was quick to reach out, grabbing it with a steady hand, his fist right there by my head. He was close. Too close.
I flinched and stepped back, literally scurrying away from him.
My heart was beating fast. I could feel it pounding in my chest as memories of the past hit me. Up against a locker. Asher towering over me. His fist right by my head. Stuck in a room with him. Cruel words leaving his lips. Me on the grass. His heavy foot kicking at my head. Me being pulled into darkness…
