“Jessie Girl, can you hear me? It’s Mikey. It’s Ben. You’re okay, Jessalyn.”
I felt so helpless. Something was wrecking her from the inside and I couldn’t stop it. She didn’t deserve whatever was making this happen to her. I went to sit on the edge of the air mattress, but it just had a see-saw effect because of its half-inflated status. I wasn’t leaving her in there to suffer alone.
I scooped her up in my arms and carried her into my room. She looked at me, confused.
“It’s okay, Jessie. I’ve got you.”
She didn’t say anything, almost like she was sleepwalking. Her eyes were still a weird unseeing haze. She curled in closer to me,tucking her head into my chest. I sat on the edge of my bed and held her there, feeling her sniffs and sobs.
“You want me to sing?”
Jessie didn’t answer, but wrapped her arms around me with a boa constrictor’s grip. I started to sing Paradise, feeling self-conscious, but it was what put her back to sleep the time before. As her body relaxed, I pulled down the comforter on the not-me side and shifted her into the sheets. I went around to my side of the bed and got in, continuing to sing. I was afraid if I stopped, she’d start crying again. I couldn’t stand to see her so torn up like that.
I turned to face her, noticing a wad of pink and blue yarn around her neck. I was afraid she’d get strangled on it in her sleep, so I pulled at it. Jessie quickly yanked it back and draped it across her neck. I didn’t bother trying again. She seemed to know, even in sleep, that she needed that yarn wad. I’d ask her about it in the morning.
Jess nestled into my body, nuzzling her face into my chest. Was it wrong for me to hold her back? Was she going to wake up in the morning and freak out like she had a few days before?
I decided it didn’t matter. Sleepy Jessie needed me, or someone, and I was the someone there.
* * *
“MIKEY!”
Jess’s voice was a rude awakening. Her hair and yarn wad were partially in my face, whipping around as she tried to get out from under my arm. Seems we moved to spooning in sleep.
“Morning, Sweet Cheeks,” I rasped, noticing that my cock was actually lodged between her cheeks. Oops. Clothed, but that’s where it was. It was still dark outside. “What time is it?”
She jolted her butt away from me and I lifted my arm to let her out.
“Again?!”
“You had a nightmare, Jess. I couldn’t let you keep sleeping on that uncomfortable air mattress.”
“I can’t live here,” she coughed out. “This was a terrible idea. I can’t do this.”
I scrubbed my hand over my face. “Why?”
She panted, considering that.
“Jessie, you have insomnia, right?”
“Right.”
“Except when you’re here, right?”
She tossed her head from side to side. “Yeah.”
“Just let it happen. I’m not trying to get you to fuck me. I’m just trying to be your friend. If that means sleeping in my bed, that’s fine. If that means we get close to each other, also fine. It’s not a big deal.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “This is feeling more and more like you’re trying to be my boyfriend. I’m still, I don’t—”
“Jessie, it’s not like that,” I groaned. “Wait, seriously, what time is it?”
I flopped over and looked at the clock, then flicked on the lamp to make sure I was reading it right. “Four fucking thirty?”
“I have early days and a long commute, Ben.” She stood and smoothed the sheets on her side of the bed.
“You hardly slept last night. Are you sure you can drive?”
