Page 41 of Hearts at War

I stopped short, and she slammed into my back. That was how closely she followed me.

“You don’t trust me, yet you’ll lower your guard to ask to sleep here?”

“No. Yes. Dammit. It’s my only option.”

I scoffed, continuing into my room and doing my best to dismiss the slight contact of her crashing into me. She’d pushed her hand on my back, and I swore the burn of her touch wouldn’t fade for a long time. “Then take it or leave it.” I grabbed my favorite pillow, held up the blankets I’d just slipped out from, and lay down on one half.

“You’re serious,” she stated, staring down at me.

“Yeah. And I’m seriously tired.” I rolled over, getting my pillow in position.

“No touching,” she warned.

“Not touching,” I agreed.

The bed dipped with her climbing on. I felt every movement, each dip and bounce. I imagined what she looked like, crawling up here and getting under the covers. It was impossible to feel sleepy now. Not only was I unused to someone else being in a bed with me, but I also wondered if we could manage this.

No touching. Nothing. Just an offer of a horizontal surface for her to sleep on since she had no way to get into her place.

That was it.

That was all it was supposed to be.

Yet, the pressure to turn and see her in my bed gnawed at me.

I lay still, willing my body to relax and just go to sleep, but I couldn’t. Insomnia plagued me on many nights, and I prayed it wasn’t a sign I was really getting old. But right now? With Heather next to me?

I was super aware of her inches away. I heard her breaths, soft and steady. And her smell. Damn, the scent of vanilla and sugar teased my nose.

Hours had to have passed before I struggled with the urge to get up. To pee. To pace. To get a drink of water. Anything other than lying here tense and too alert of the stranger next to me.

“I can’t sleep.”

She state it bluntly, cutting through the quiet.

“No shit.”

“Sorry to keep you up,” she said.

“Eh, I don’t sleep well anyway,” I lied. It was her. It was the temptation of her so close. The lure of her body heat radiating toward me even though we weren’t touching.

“Why not?”

I shrugged, but I doubted she’d see it. Rolling onto my back, I caved to the need to see her. I turned my head on the pillow and caught her staring at me. In the darkness, she seemed calmer. More serene. Softer.

“Who knows.”

She nodded, lowering her gaze. Her eyes got stuck on my shoulder.

“Why’d you come here?”

I raised my brows. “To Burton? To work at the ranch.”

“Have you always been working on a ranch?”

I nodded.

“Where are you from?”