“Hah, you were probably worried I’ll tell her you kidnapped me.”
The corners of his mouth curved upward, and he handed her the phone. “That too.”
She held her breath after she switched on her phone and the beeping of incoming messages started. She winced, her eyes widening when she saw the number. “Holy hell. Ninety-seven missed calls.” She tapped in her mom’s number from memory and hit call. “Momma, it’s me.” She winced andpulled the phone away from her ear when her momma yelled at her, then burst into tears. “I’m so sorry, my phone wasn’t working. I had to get it fixed.” She figured the little white lie was better than telling her the McKinley brothers had kidnapped her. Her mom would be in her battered old truck in five minutes flat to go knock on Mrs. McKinley’s door to inform her to forget about ever having grandchildren, as she was going to neuter every single one of her boys.
While she worked on calming her mom down and reassuring her she was okay, Gunnar poured them wine and brought her a glass. She smiled in thanks as he tucked the lock of her hair which went into the corner of her mouth with the glass behind her ear. By the time she was finished on the phone, their wine was finished, and she could barely keep her eyes open long enough to brush her teeth.
This time, when she woke in the middle of the night, she knew the sounds which hurt her heart were coming from Gunnar. Jorja threw back the covers. She hesitated at the door to the living room for a couple of minutes.
This is a terrible idea. He flipped out last time.
I can’t…
She opened the door and called his name softly as she walked into the room. “Gunnar? It’s me. Gunn, wake up.”
“Huh?” His head popped over the back of the couch. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She went closer. “Shh, you didn’t,” she lied. “Are you okay?”
When he reached for her, it wasn’t fast and deadly, but slowly and carefully, as if he was afraid he’d scare her. “Curl up with me?”
Somehow, she knew it cost him a lot to ask it of her. She nodded, and when he scooted over to make room, she settled in next to him on the couch. His arm heavy around her waist was oddly comforting, and she drifted back to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Gunnar yawnedand blinked his eyes open.
Is this what it feels like not to be tired all the time?
He’d forgotten what it felt like to wake up rested. He had zero idea why, and didn’t care until he glanced down and saw the woman sleeping in his arms.
Oh, shit, is that why?
He tried to make his brain work, but he couldn’t remember her getting on the couch with him.
Oh, damn, did I fuck her and forget it happened? Shit.
He moved the hand he had wrapped around her waist and felt material under his fingertips. Nope, she still had clothes on. He didn’t dare to check to see if she had pants on too.
Phew.
Thank God.
The first time with her, he wanted to remember. He knew he’d be pissed if he’d blanked out and missed it. So fucking pissed.
“You are thinking way too hard. It’s waking me up, please stop.”
Crap, I woke her.
“Sorry.” He snuggled back down, burying his nose into the curve of her neck. “Go back to sleep.” He’d just lay here until it was time to get up. Maybe a miracle would happen and he would sleep some more too.
What felt like half an hour later, Gunnar stretched and rolled his shoulders. He rubbed his fingers into his eyes, trying to wake himself up fully. He glanced around the living room; he didn’t remember drawing the curtains last night. The blackouts confused him. He stood up and tugged back one and frowned in confusion at how bright the sun was. “Fuck. What time is it?”
When he glanced back at the couch an image filled his head of Jorja sleeping in his arms. He knew it was a memory and not his imagination. “Jorja?” He went into the bedroom… empty. He checked the bathroom… also empty.
Disappointment swarmed through him. He’d trusted her and she ran at the first opportunity. He should have known better than to trust a woman. As he shaved and went through his morning routine, he argued with himself.
She’d said she’d stay.
