Page 48 of Forever Fickle

Karen slowly woke up and stretched, feeling better and more rested than she had in ages… only to hear a soft groan nearby.

She froze, immediately taking inventory of her surroundings and remembering where she was. She’d come home yesterday after getting up super early, waking Jace, going to breakfast, and then working all day.

They had finished out the evening with the best homemade grilled cheese and potato soup from scratch that she’d ever had, before watching television with him, sitting on the couch with his arm around her shoulders.

Where she was now – except – they’d both slumped over.

She was nearly lying halfway on top of Jace as they laid beside each other, firmly wedged between him and the back of the couch in the warmest, snuggliest cocoon a woman could ask for.

Sunlight was streaming in through the miniblinds, and her apple watch face wouldn’t light up, telling her that the battery was dead. She had no idea where her phone was… the coffee table? Her purse? On the floor?

Her breath was coming in short, panicked bursts that she was trying to suppress to keep from freaking out or breathing morning breath on the most beautiful vision she’d ever seen before her.

Jace was lying there, immovable, and obviously still in the throes of sleep. So why had he groaned?

“Nooo…” he tensed, a frown marring his features as he whispered the single word, his arm tensing where it lay on her side. He was visibly jumping, his jaw clenching… no longer serene but lost in a nightmare she couldn’t see.

“… I’m painted… help…” he groaned, jumping again as she lay a hand on his chest, feeling bad for him because whatever was going on, he was brutally trying to escape it. His whole form was clenching, and she realized his brow was dotted with sweat.

“Jace… shhh, it’s a dream,” she whispered, reaching up to touch his face not inches from hers. “Jace, wake up.”

His caramel-colored eyes shot open, blind in sightless horror as they widened for a second… before he shook his head, sighed heavily, and closed his eyes, leaning back before falling onto the floor just beside the couch with a thud. His frame pushed the coffee table slightly out of the way on his way down.

“Are you okay?” she balked nervously.

“Yeah,” he groaned, wincing, as she peered over the edge of the sofa to look at him where he lay. He smiled faintly and closed his eyes again.

“I hate that dream…” he admitted, before nodding. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”

“You were exhausted and looked so peaceful,” he confessed, cracking open an eye. “I probably should have left, but I don’t remember falling asleep at all.”

“What were you dreaming about?”

“Probably the worst day of my life,” he breathed, his voice ragged with pain. “I saw my friend and coworker shot down before my eyes and thought I was next.”

“Oh my gosh…” Karen whispered, not asking for more details, because she wasn’t going to make him relive the nightmare during his waking hours too. Instead, she reached over the couch edge to take his hand in hers, surprising the both of them.

She saw Jace glance at his watch and grimace.

“It’s barely six in the morning on a Saturday… I’m sorry I stayed without asking. I’ll get up and call a taxi.”

“Hear me out,” Karen began, hesitating. “Maybe it’s temporary insanity? Why don’t we pretend neither of us is awake and just hit snooze for a few minutes more?”

“Can I have a blanket?” Jace asked, pointing behind her where the throw was on the couch. Karen reached for it and heard him laugh, only to feel him tug her down to him where he lay on the floor. “I was thinking more along the lines ofyou, silly…”

Karen lay there, nestled against him, and couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her as she saw his sleepy smile of contentment as he closed his eyes. Gosh, he was the best thing ever and she truly could get used to having him in her world.

Primly, she pulled the thin coverlet over him, tucking it around his shoulders, causing him to laugh throatily as she settled down against him, her cheek against his arm, realizing she fit just right.

* * *

A few hours later,she smelled bacon cooking and realized she was lying alone on the floor beside the couch… with a pillow tucked snugly under her head. That was so thoughtful of him and so unexpected, she mused as she lay there, listening to him hum to himself as he cooked.

She couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips as a sense of peace stole into her soul unexpectedly. These moments, these unexpected private times stolen away with Jace, made her feel so wonderful that she knew no one else would ever be closer in her world.

When she was in high school, she’d been asked to a dance by one of the football players, and had been on cloud nine, thinking her moment had finally come.

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