Eventually, exhaustion won.My eyes drifted closed, my body relaxed into his warmth, and I fell asleep thinking that whatever happened tomorrow, whatever new crisis or revelation or complication awaited, at least for tonight, I wasn't alone.
CHAPTER 21
Archie
Iwoke to sunlightstreaming through the windows and Betty's hair spread across my chest.For a moment, I just lay there, listening to her breathe.Her hand was curled against my ribs, her leg tangled with mine, and if I didn't think too hard about the fact that she'd told me last night this didn't change anything, I could almost pretend we were okay.
But we weren't okay.And pretending otherwise wouldn't make it true.
She stirred, making a soft sound of protest at consciousness, and she tensed as she remembered where she was.Whose bed she was in.What we'd done.
"Morning," I said.
She pulled back, putting immediate distance between us despite still being in my bed."Morning."
"Sleep okay?"
"Fine."She sat up, pulling the sheet with her."What time is it?"
"Just after eight."
"I should get dressed.We have investigating to do."
"Betty..."
"Don't."She slid out of bed, grabbing her discarded clothes from the floor."Last night was...it happened.But it doesn't change anything.We're still just working together to catch whoever is sabotaging me."
"Right.Just colleagues."
"Exactly."But she wouldn't meet my eyes as she pulled on her sweatshirt.
I watched her dress, watched her rebuild the walls I'd felt crack last night when she'd said my name and held onto me like I was the only solid thing in her world.And I knew with sudden, crushing certainty that apologizing wasn't enough.That sleeping together hadn't fixed anything.That if I wanted any chance of her choosing to stay, really stay, not just because she was trapped, I needed to do something more.
Something that would probably destroy me but might give her back what I'd taken.
"I need to take care of something this morning," I said."Can we meet later?Say, eleven?"
