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We get situated under the blankets; our naked bodies curled up against each other. I debate getting up and putting some clothes back on. I also debate going back into the bedroom I’ve been staying in. But Jonas’s large body feels so good against mine that I don’t do either of those things.
Instead, I lay my head against his chest and listen to the sound of his heartbeat, which beats in a slow rhythm that calms me. His large arms wrap around me like some sort of layer of protection from the rest of the world.
I feel a kiss on the top of my head as I hear Jonas whisper, “I’ve got you, baby.”
As if his words put me entirely at ease, two minutes later, I’m fast asleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Jonas
The following morning, I wake up with something tickling my nose. Without opening my eyes, I wiggle my nose, trying to scratch it, but no luck. The familiar scent of cherries fills my nostrils, and a huge grin forms on my lips.
Andi.
I push her curls out of my face and open my eyes. She’s facing away from me but is still resting comfortably on my arm. My arm is numb as shit, but when I glance over, I can see that she has her fingers on one hand interlocked with mine.
I roll onto my side so that my chest presses against her. She’s so soft and warm.
Perfect.
There’s no other word to describe her.
And it makes me sick to my fucking stomach that any man would make her feel like she was less than such, especially one that she was married to for so damn long. It makes my skin crawl that he was out there cheating when he had such an amazing woman at home. And if he wouldn’t have died, she would have never known how amazing she is. Oh well. His loss is my gain, and I will be sure to tell her every single day how wonderful she is in my eyes.
As much as I want to stay in this bed and snuggle up to her all morning, my bladder tells me that I have other plans. As gently as I can, I pull my arm out from underneath her and slide out of bed.
I don’t bother putting on any clothes as I pad out of the room, avoiding all of the spots I know have creaky floorboards. I make my way into the bathroom that Andi had been using, not wanting to use the one attached to my bedroom. She looks so peaceful sleeping, and I can think of much better ways to wake her up than making too much noise while I go to take a leak.
The second I walk into that bathroom, the air smells like her: cherries and vanilla. I could stay in here and breathe it in all day.
Or I could climb back in bed and smell the real thing.
Once I’ve emptied my bladder, I walk into the kitchen to go ahead and make a pot of coffee for whenever she’s ready to start her day.
While I fill the pot with water and get out some grounds to put in the top, I still try to process everything that Andi told me last night. I can’t get over the fact that she was married to such an asshole.
But there’s nothing I can do about that now. I guess the only thing I can do about it now is make sure she never has to go through any of that ever again.
My phone starts vibrating on the dining room table. When I see it’s my momma calling, I know that I better answer, or she will show up over here.
I decide to take the call outside as not to make too much noise, so I quickly grab a pair of boxers off the folded pile of laundry on my couch and slide them on before heading out to the front porch.
“Hey, Momma,” I say, still trying to keep my voice down.
“Mornin’, sugar.” Her thick Southern accent comes through into my ear. “You want to tell me what’s been going on with you?”
Playing dumb, I ask, “What do you mean?”
“Jonas, don’t play coy with me. Word around town is that girl is still staying there with you.”
Without even seeing her, I know she is standing there tapping her toe in annoyance.
Letting out a long sigh, I say, “She still doesn’t have any of her stuff. But to be honest, I’m crazy about her. You should meet her sometime.”
I regret the words the moment they are out of my mouth because she counters with, “Well, why don’t you bring her over here for dinner tonight?”
I’d completely forgotten about the fact that it’s Sunday, and Momma always has all of us kids over for dinner every week. She has always told us that the only thing that would exclude us is loss of limb or being at the birth of one of her future grandchildren.
