It didn’t matter for long because not half-way through, Sonny’s head lolled onto Declan’s shoulder and he fell asleep. I could see his reflection in the window, with the dark lake blending into the black sky outside, and I spent more time watching their faces than I did the film.
As the credits rolled and Michael Kamen crooned, ‘let it snow, let it snow, let it snow’, Sonny half-woke.
His voice was delightfully sleepy. “Did Hans Gruber fall from Nakatomi Tower?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I guess it’s Christmas now.”
I couldn’t stop a little smile tugging at my lips. “Youdolike Die Hard.”
He huffed and closed his eyes again. “It’s not a Christmas film.”
Declan spoke for the first time in hours. “He likes it, he just likes to argue about it every year. It’s tradition.”
“Like hanging the stockings from the mantle,” mumbled Sonny.
I stood, slipping out from the small space on the sofa where my body had been pressed against Declan’s, warm and cosy.
“I guess it’s bed time.”
Sonny’s eyelids fluttered as though he were trying to wake up but couldn’t do it. “Sorry. I don’t know why I’m so tired. I slept for like a whole day.”
My voice was firm. “Your body is recovering.”
I glanced at Declan as I said it and he gave a slight nod. I’d said the same thing to him often enough.
Sonny gave nothing more than a muffled, “Umph,” and then his breathing was evening out, deep and regular, sucked below the surface of sleep against his will.
“I can wait until he wakes up.”
I had no doubt Declan would sit there all night if Sonny wanted to use him as a pillow, but there was no need for that. I leaned down and asked, “Sonny? Can I lift you up?”
He made a noise which might have been a yes or might have been a snore. I smiled.
“I’m going to carry you to bed.”
Declan had already seen me carry Sonny easily, so there wasn’t any reason to hide my strength. I lifted Sonny and tried not to make it looktooeasy so Declan would never know that I could have lifted him, too, even with his bulkier frame.
Placing Sonny on the cool, clean sheets, I went to back away but Sonny frowned in his sleep and his eyelids fluttered again, fighting to swim back to wakefulness.
“Stay with me.”
Declan came into the bedroom, drawn to us, and I walked round the bed to his side. “Are you ready for bed?”
“Yeah. I just need to, um—”
He gestured at his prosthetic.
“Let me help.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and slid out of his jeans then between us we removed his prosthetic and the linings, and propped it in the corner of the room. I made sure the crutch was by the bed so he could reach it easily and then Declan manoeuvred himself into the bed beside Sonny.
I stood for a moment, looking down at the two of them together. Sonny’s fair hair glowed almost white in the strange snow-light from the window and Declan’s dark hair fanned across the pillow, slightly too long so it curled at the back of his neck. They were both so handsome, it hurt me to look at them.
I’d thought Sonny was asleep as my eyes searched his face but he suddenly wriggled across the bed to the very edge, and his hand reached out to pat the bed beside him, looking for Declan.
Once he had Declan’s arm, he tugged.
