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“Because of what happened that morning? When you had your hands around my neck during your nightmare?”
He dropped his hand. His gaze was intense, an internal war reflected in the depths.
Back to the stone wall. “If you can’t talk about it, then this doesn’t stand a chance.”
“I know. I’m struggling, but I do want to talk to you about it. I want to talk about it all.”
Hearing this, I allowed myself a first glimmer of hope.
“I have no right to ask for it, but I need a little more time.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. This was too important to force. “Then we’ll take some time.”
“Thank you,” he rasped, taking both my hands and kissing them. “How about you finish your toast?”
“Yeah, okay.” Maybe we both needed to take our time.
ChapterFifty-Five
LEO
Relief hit me so hard my hands started to shake. She had no idea how much I appreciated her patience with me and the gift of more time.
While Addy lay down to help get rid of her headache, I went outside to get some fresh air.
She was here. There was a chance. Unless, of course, I fucked it up.
But I wouldn’t. I refused to give up and let my insecurities take hold. After gathering firewood and sweeping off the porch, I went back inside to find her asleep. I decided I could use some sleep myself considering I’d hardly gotten a wink last night.
I settled for a sleeping bag on the floor next to the bed. The sound of her soft snores and the contentment of having her here had me asleep in no time.
A foot to the ribs woke me up with a jolt. “What the—” Addison’s pitch forward, along with her curse, were cut off when I grabbed her in time to break her fall. In the process, my frame took the full force of hers.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” She squirmed on top of me, her front to mine. My hands rested on her ass.
“I’m good. You?”
“Yeah. What on earth are you doing on the floor?”
“I wanted to be close to you.”
“But the floor is so uncomfortable.”
“I’m used to it. Been sleeping on the floor ever since I returned from Iraq.”
She hesitated as if absorbing my words. “In your room, you slept on the floor next to the bed?”
“Yeah. I have less nightmares that way.” God, it felt good to have her tucked in my arms.
“Why do you think that is?”
I let out a long breath. “It seems the happier I am or the more comfortable I am, like in a bed, the more often I have nightmares.”
“What are they about?”
I told her the details of my dream. The roadside bomb, the smell of smoke, being dragged out of the wreckage. “The two men who dragged me out were unprepared for me to come out fighting.”
“You killed them.” There was no judgment in her tone.
