She took a steadying breath. “I know, I feel safe with you,” she whispered.
I had a strange surge of male pride at her comment.
We went to the garage, to the bins of camp gear and grabbed some battery-operated lanterns. I turned them on and brought them back into the house. I put one in the main area in case Danny woke up and needed the bathroom. Then I led Faith to the spare room.
I opened the door to the room that’s primary use was for storage. But there was a bed made with clean sheets at least. I went into the closet and grabbed some extra blankets.
“Will Danny need another blanket?” She looked toward Danny’s room. “The heat won’t be working, right?”
“Yeah, I will put an extra blanket on him and then some at the end of his bed, and he can grab them if he wants.”
She nodded and looked toward the bed. The silence stretched and pulled. Would she rather not sleep here? I stopped the offer to sleep with me before I blurted it out again.
“Um, do you have an extra phone charger?” Faith stared at her phone with what appeared to be the battery dying quickly.
I smiled. “I do, but I don’t think it will help much.”
“Why? Oh, right, the power.” She shook her head but didn’t drop my hand. “My phone is about to die, and I don’t have service anymore. I texted Rose before, so she should know I’m here. I’m a little worried about waking up and being disoriented by myself with no light.”
I held up the lantern. “I can leave this with you?” I shrugged. Should I offer to let her sleep in my bed? The thought of her next to me was dangerously tempting. Could I keep my hands to myself all night?
“Could I maybe sleep on the couch?” she added before I worked up the courage.
“I don’t think you could fit comfortably.”
She chuckled. “No,youcan’t lie down on it. I will be fine.”
I wished I hadn’t hesitated. If I offered now, it would seem weird. I added a few blankets in Danny’s room and walked with her back to the living room, with a stack of pillows and blankets for the couch.
Would I even be able to sleep knowing she was this close? The last several weeks were full of stolen moments between work and Danny. I glanced at the couch and then back toward my room.
Screw it. Luckily, I had put the pile of laundry away yesterday.
I cleared my throat and took a steadying breath, and her eyes met mine.
“You know…” I cleared my throat again. “If you are worried about being out here alone.” I paused, and she stared at my lips.
Her gaze searched mine.
“Um, I will keep my hands and ideas to myself if you want to share my bed.” I raised my right shoulder. “Just in case you wake up disoriented or something?”
She bit her bottom lip and raised a brow. “We’d better not. I’m not sure I could promise the same.”
Heat boiled in my stomach as I looked at this beautiful woman. The thought of being loved and held by Faith did something that rattled every coherent thought in my brain.
She yawned and leaned into me.
“Right, so couch?” I nodded. It was probably for the best, I reminded myself before I tried to change her mind.
“Or I can just be good…” Faith gazed up at me.
Forget what’s for the best. I wanted her in my bed. I wanted to hold her as she fell asleep, watch her as she woke. I grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward my room.
As we passed Danny’s room, he mumbled something about stars, and Faith pulled me to a stop. I looked back at her and she smiled.
I knew what she was going to say. Danny would be confused if he found her in my bed, he might be confused to see her on the couch too, but it was safer for her to stay. My shoulders dropped, and I sighed as I turned. “So, couch?”
She chuckled softly. “Yeah,” she said. “Probably better.”
