Page 50 of My Instant Karma

I don’t even have the energy for all that. I shake my head and crawl onto my bed with the damp towel still around me. I don’t make it far, collapsing on top of the covers.

Dante pulls the covers down underneath me and then places them over my body. Next, he carefully draws the towel off me, like a magician might, and tucks me in.

When he pulls away, I shiver again and groan. I feel as if he’s stealing the warmth of the sun from me.

Instead of leaving, he sits on the edge of the bed and covers my hand with his. “Do you want me to stay?”

I squeeze his fingers.

Dante slips into bed next to me, still in his jeans, but he’s shirtless from when he donated his shirt to me earlier.

He pulls me tightly against him, and I latch onto his heat like it’s an anchor. The touch of his skin ties me to the world. We are entangled, and I stroke his back with my thumb. My breasts press against him, but it doesn’t matter since it feels like we are one body.

His hands caress down my back and up to my head over and over. He’s sending me healing energy. When his warmth and healing penetrate my frozen state, I confess, “I’m messed up.”

“We all are. It’s the human condition.”

My tears leak out. Why do I feel like I can finally be vulnerable for the first time in my life? And with him?

Dante tightens his hold. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure it all out, and if not, life still goes on or it doesn’t, and we find out what awaits us in the afterlife.”

“You think there’s an afterlife?”

“Seems dumb for us to learn all these lessons for only one go-around.”

“Suppose so.”

“You ever have visions of past lives during a reading?” he asks.

“I saw stuff, but I often thought what I saw was a metaphor for what was going on in their lives.”

“Maybe.” His fingertips brush my temple. “But I’ve had memories of other places that don’t make sense.”

“Me too.”

“Does it ever seem like you justknowsomeone you just met?” he asks. From his tone, I know he’s searching for a certain answer, but I doubt he will like my response.

“Yeah.” I sigh. “It isn’t always a good thing.”

“No. I guess not.” Dante runs his hand down my side and up again, this time for comfort only. “It can feel like finding your home. Your safe space.”

“I’ve never had much luck with finding safety in a home.”

Dante brushes his cheek over my forehead. “I know what you mean.”

“What does it feel like? Finding a safe place?” My voice sounds childlike and hopeful. Would I recognize it if I found it?

“Do you feel safe now?” he asks.

I stop stroking the soft skin on his back. I feel safe, but I don’t know Dante. It makes no sense to trust anyone, especially a stranger. “Uh, yeah. I suppose.” I pull away because I’m falling into a dangerous situation.

He cradles my cheek and makes me look at him. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m just here, keeping your demons at bay for a little while. No need to panic.”

I gaze into his piercing eyes and feel like I’m being seen for the first time. He’s viewing all my broken pieces, and he hasn’t run away… not yet anyway.

His thumb sweeps along my cheekbone. “Do you want some clothing now that you are feeling better?”

“I don’t want to move.” I tuck my head under his chin. “Can we just sleep like this?”

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