Laughing to myself, I pulled out my phone, ignoring the flurry of missed texts and calls, and dialled Duke.
Placing the phone to my ear, he answered on the first ring. “Hello, Asher, what can I do for you?”
“Can you grab some camping gear and meet me at Lennon’s?”
“How many nights?” he asked without hesitation.
“One. We’ll need some food, too. So whatever you come up with is perfectly fine.”
“I’ll be there in thirty.” Then the call disconnected.
I collapsed onto the couch while Lennon got ready. I’d fainted earlier while she’d been at therapy, trying to tidy her place. I probably needed to start the meds again. I was delaying the inevitable—to steal more time with Lennon. It never felt like enough.
The couch swallowed me into its pillowed embrace. This thing was built for naps, I was certain of it. I stretched out, resting my head on the pillow closest to the hallway she’d disappeared down.
The feeling of rest crept in. It was so welcoming I could feel my body dip into the creases of the couch, melding together as one. The lids of my eyes fell heavy, the darkness creeping eerily close.
As much as I feared the darkness, the sensation was oddly comforting. Too comforting. A light to welcome me home. A warm cup of hot chocolate after being caught in a rain storm. A home cooked meal.
Like her.
This was how I felt about her.
Lennon.
* * *
“Hey, sleepy head. Wake up.”
Her hand shook my shoulder. Opening my heavy lids, I caught a glimpse of the angel over the top of me. Panic flooded my senses as I shot upright.
“What time is it?”
She laughed, not catching onto how disoriented I was. “You must’ve just closed your eyes. I was gone, like, five minutes.”
I rubbed my eyes, internally scolding myself to get my shit together. Chuckling, I admitted, “Your couch is dangerous.”
She plopped beside me. “You got that right. I knew that if I was going to exist in this life in any capacity, I wanted things that made me feel safe. This couch was one of my first purchases, actually.”
Her fingers brushed the soft, emerald fabric, giving it a little push to memorize its cushion.
“If you’re too tired, we can go another time,” she offered gently.
I shook my head in protest, bringing my body to a stance. “No, we’re going tonight—” And then my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I checked it, the screen illuminating brightly. A smile spread across my face while I read the message.
“See? The timing is perfect. Duke is on his way.”
She chuckled and nodded her head toward the bag that sat at the front door. “That’s all I’ve got. So I hope you have the rest taken care of.”
I took her hand. “I look forward to showing off my tent -pitching skills.”
A gut laugh burst out of her mouth. “All those skills from your imaginary camping trips?”
“Get your perfect ass outside before I spank the brat right out of you, little siren.”
The threat was playful, but it motivated her to get moving. “Yes, sir.”
