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Embarrassed for acting like a brat, she put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I’m just so used to taking care of myself and everyone else I don’t know how to let someone do it for me.”
“Maybe because you don’t like to let your guard down and trust people.”
“I’m not guarded.”
He pulled the comforter up over her, giving her a dry look. “Really?”
Too tired to argue, she sank back into her bed. “Fine, but who said I trusted you?”
He raised one eyebrow at her with a smirk. “The fact that you let me in the front door, or that you took pills from me without double checking what they were. Just accept it. You like me and feel safe with me.”
“Maybe.”
“Without a doubt. If it had been Dustin Kent at the door, you would have ignored him and gone back to bed.”
“He’s a douche.”
Luke chuckled and the sound gooified her insides. “Agreed. Now, do you need anything else?”
“Are you leaving?” Why did she sound so disappointed? He had walked away from her without giving her the benefit of the doubt.
I don’t know. If our roles were reversed, I might not have stuck around this long.
“I wasn’t planning to. I was just going to sit out in your living room and watch football.”
“Oh…I have a TV in here.” Now why in the heck had she said that?
Because I don’t want to be alone.
He didn’t ask questions or tease her. “Where’s the remote?”
“On the other night stand.”
Luke kicked off his shoes and walked around to the other side. He didn’t get under the blanket with her, just fluffed the extra pillows and flicked on the TV. She liked that he kept the volume down, and when his hand reached out, rubbing over her sore back, she sighed.
Her eyelids grew heavy to the sound of sports reporters and first and down, but before she drifted, she whispered, “Thanks, Luke.”
“You’re welcome. Now sleep.”
She did exactly that.
* * * *
Luke woke up to unfamiliar surroundings, his arms wrapped around another warm body…
And shiny eyes in a furry face watching him from just a few inches away.
Sitting up like a shot, he hollered, “What the fuck!”
A flash of white streaked off the bed and out the door.
“Was he watching you sleep? He does that. Total creeper.”
Marley’s calm, sleepy voice brought everything back for him and he released a breathless laugh even as his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. “He scared the shit out of me.”
“You get used to it,” she mumbled.
Luke shook his head, wondering how anyone could get used to that.
