“I’m absolutely fine.” My body still shook with residual pleasure, but I didn’t see how that could be considered a negative. Winder had a way of making me feel things I didn’t even realize were possible.
He smiled at me, wiping away a stray tear. “You’re kind of pretty when you cry.”
I laughed. “Has anyone ever told you you’re kind of weird?”
“Once or twice.” He picked me up, shuffling me back to my seat. “You like it, though.”
We got dressed, and Winder started the car again.
I stared out the window while he drove us back to his house, watching the city roll past. None of these people knew who I was, or what I had done. The same went for Winder. As far as they knew, we were two people out for a drive, two people who’d never experienced heartache or death.
Looking over at Winder, who stole a quick glance over to give me a smile, I realized he was right. He saw right through me, broken bits and all.
I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful thing.
I was dreaming.Or at least, I was fairly certain I was dreaming. There was a glimpse of something green.Grass,maybe.
Something red flickered into view, and my heart nearly stopped.
No. Not again.
But my vision shifted, clearing, and when I looked down it wasn’t blood at all. A red dress floated around my knees. Anger still filled me, but I didn’t think I was about to kill someone. Maybe irritation was a better word.
The smell of a barbeque filled my senses, but something sickly sweet overpowered the grilled burgers.
Behind me, someone laughed. I didn’t turn. I was fixated on the dark shadow through the glass door, a quiet flutter in my stomach. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t afraid of the shadows.
Instead, I called for them.
Winder’sworried face was inches away from mine when I finally opened my eyes. “Are you okay?”
I smiled, grabbing his cheeks with both of my hands, and bringing him down for a kiss.
He briefly kissed me back before he pulled away, examining me. “Seriously, are you okay? You were calling out for me in your sleep, and I got worried. I didn’t want you to sleepwalk or blackout again.”
“Winder, I’m okay. I promise.” I sat up, touching his shoulder. He relaxed, and I pulled him back down to lie with me. Explaining what happened felt impossible.
We faced each other, Winder’s eyes still filled with concern while I struggled to find the words.
“I remembered you,” I whispered, the words nearly unbelievable even as I said them.
“What?”
“My dream. I was calling out for you, because my dream was about you. But I think it was a memory. There was a barbeque. I had on a red dress, and you were late.” I closed my eyes briefly, trying to cling to the vision.
“Oliver’s birthday party.”
I opened my eyes, Winder staring at me in disbelief. “It was real?”
“Oliver’s last birthday party before you two went undercover. I didn’t want to come and showed up late. I almost turned around when I got there, but you saw me through the door, and called for me to come outside. I never could say no to you.” His face held a thousand emotions. “Do you remember anything else?”
I shook my head, curling closer against him to feel as much of his skin as I could. “No. I can only remember how I felt.”
“How was that?” Winder’s voice felt like a lullaby I never wanted to let go of.
“Safe,” I murmured, sleep carrying me off wrapped in his arms. “I knew as soon as I saw you I was safe.”
He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Where have you been?”
