somersaulted. I opened my eyes and darted forward.
His palm blocked me, slightly mashing my nose, and I groaned in frustration.
“Fine,” I grumbled before scooting off the bed and closing myself in the bathroom. His laughter drifted through the door.
After taking care of business and washing up, I stared at the mirror and tried to see myself through his eyes. I looked a little less waifish but not very healthy. I’d lost a bunch of weight and still had circles under my eyes. Definitely not attractive. I splashed water on my face, trying to wash away my insecurities.
He wanted to stay here for two days. I felt as if I’d slept a long time, but I doubted I’d used all of the time he’d dedicated for me to get the rest he felt I needed. I had time to try to wear him down and convince him of my affection. I dried my face, and I gave my reflection a stern get-to-it look.
Opening the bathroom door, I found the bed made and Luke sitting in the room’s one chair.
“Get dressed. We’ll grab something to eat and walk around a bit if you’re up for it.”
Nodding, I moved aside to let him use the bathroom, relieved that I didn’t have to try right away. I dug out some clothes and ducked back into the bathroom when he had finished.
How had I let boys know I liked them before the dreams exposed the hot mess that was my life? Long looks, cute clothes, smiling conversation. I didn’t think any of that would work with Luke. Trying to trick him was pointless, and I didn’t want his hand in my face anymore, either. What did that leave me? Being nice and giving it time? Actually letting myself grow feelings for him? I wanted to throw something. Instead, I opened the door and gave him a halfhearted smile.
A few minutes later, we strolled side by side down the sidewalk in the direction the motel manager had pointed. A small gas station offered premade sandwiches and bags of junk food. My stomach rumbled as I eyed the displays, and his echoed it as if they were having a conversation. He grinned and reached for a bag of chips. I grabbed for the sandwiches.
With a bag loaded up with goodies, we headed back. He opened the door for me and stood aside to let me in. After kicking off my shoes, I sat on the bed folding my legs under me. He set the bag next to me, grabbed a sandwich from it, and sat on the chair.
“Thank you for the food,” I said reaching for my own sandwich. “And for helping me sleep. And the walk. It was good to get outside and not feel like I needed to run.”
He stopped chewing and looked at me suspiciously but nodded his welcome. Crap, was I being that obvious? I took a large bite and chewed slowly. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the walk. I was just trying to be nice. And thankful. How else should I ease him into the idea that I cared?
I glanced at him and saw he’d already polished off two sandwiches. I forgot to eat and just stared as he consumed another triangle in two bites. Silently, I popped open a bag of chips and offered it to him. He demolished those and looked at my sandwich which I willingly—and perhaps a little fearfully—surrendered.
“How long was I out?”
“Sixteen hours,” he mumbled around a dessert cake.
“Sorry. Maybe we should go back and stockpile some more food in case I crash hard again.” And so I had something to eat, I thought as I opened the last bag of chips.
He looked up at me with mixed emotions on his face. First, he appeared happy about my suggestion, then a little disheartened.
He finished the cake in another bite and took a drink of water from one of the bottles he purchased. “Do you think you’ll sleep that long again?”
“I honestly don’t know. I don’t feel tired yet, but I can feel another dream calling me.”
He leaned back and studied me for a moment. “What do you dream about? And I don’t mean you dying. Sometimes, the dreams don’t seem to
His palm blocked me, slightly mashing my nose, and I groaned in frustration.
“Fine,” I grumbled before scooting off the bed and closing myself in the bathroom. His laughter drifted through the door.
After taking care of business and washing up, I stared at the mirror and tried to see myself through his eyes. I looked a little less waifish but not very healthy. I’d lost a bunch of weight and still had circles under my eyes. Definitely not attractive. I splashed water on my face, trying to wash away my insecurities.
He wanted to stay here for two days. I felt as if I’d slept a long time, but I doubted I’d used all of the time he’d dedicated for me to get the rest he felt I needed. I had time to try to wear him down and convince him of my affection. I dried my face, and I gave my reflection a stern get-to-it look.
Opening the bathroom door, I found the bed made and Luke sitting in the room’s one chair.
“Get dressed. We’ll grab something to eat and walk around a bit if you’re up for it.”
Nodding, I moved aside to let him use the bathroom, relieved that I didn’t have to try right away. I dug out some clothes and ducked back into the bathroom when he had finished.
How had I let boys know I liked them before the dreams exposed the hot mess that was my life? Long looks, cute clothes, smiling conversation. I didn’t think any of that would work with Luke. Trying to trick him was pointless, and I didn’t want his hand in my face anymore, either. What did that leave me? Being nice and giving it time? Actually letting myself grow feelings for him? I wanted to throw something. Instead, I opened the door and gave him a halfhearted smile.
A few minutes later, we strolled side by side down the sidewalk in the direction the motel manager had pointed. A small gas station offered premade sandwiches and bags of junk food. My stomach rumbled as I eyed the displays, and his echoed it as if they were having a conversation. He grinned and reached for a bag of chips. I grabbed for the sandwiches.
With a bag loaded up with goodies, we headed back. He opened the door for me and stood aside to let me in. After kicking off my shoes, I sat on the bed folding my legs under me. He set the bag next to me, grabbed a sandwich from it, and sat on the chair.
“Thank you for the food,” I said reaching for my own sandwich. “And for helping me sleep. And the walk. It was good to get outside and not feel like I needed to run.”
He stopped chewing and looked at me suspiciously but nodded his welcome. Crap, was I being that obvious? I took a large bite and chewed slowly. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the walk. I was just trying to be nice. And thankful. How else should I ease him into the idea that I cared?
I glanced at him and saw he’d already polished off two sandwiches. I forgot to eat and just stared as he consumed another triangle in two bites. Silently, I popped open a bag of chips and offered it to him. He demolished those and looked at my sandwich which I willingly—and perhaps a little fearfully—surrendered.
“How long was I out?”
“Sixteen hours,” he mumbled around a dessert cake.
“Sorry. Maybe we should go back and stockpile some more food in case I crash hard again.” And so I had something to eat, I thought as I opened the last bag of chips.
He looked up at me with mixed emotions on his face. First, he appeared happy about my suggestion, then a little disheartened.
He finished the cake in another bite and took a drink of water from one of the bottles he purchased. “Do you think you’ll sleep that long again?”
“I honestly don’t know. I don’t feel tired yet, but I can feel another dream calling me.”
He leaned back and studied me for a moment. “What do you dream about? And I don’t mean you dying. Sometimes, the dreams don’t seem to
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