“Like her mother. And creative like you.”
“Logical and passionate about helping others like you.”
“What do you think she’d grow up to be?”
“If she’s anything like me, she’ll love you more than anything and want to follow in your footsteps. After she spends all your money riding horses and winning ribbons.”
“Like her mom in high school.”
“And she’d have loved books because we would have read to her every night.”
“We’d have done everything to make her happy. We’d have loved her with our whole hearts.”
“We still will.”
“Yes, we will.”
They fell quiet for a long time.
“Cody?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m scared. Will you stay?”
“Yes. But you don’t have to be scared. You’re safe here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“It’s not him. Well, it’s the nightmares. But also…”
“What?” He leaned up on his elbow and stared down at her. Waiting. He’d wait as long as she needed him to.
“I’m scared of the quiet and the thoughts that run through my head. Bad thoughts, Cody. So I need you to stay here with me. Okay?”
Cody tensed, even as he tried not to show his shock and fear. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Next to you is exactly where I want to be.” He settled down next to her again, arranging his pillow right beside hers and his head close enough that his forehead nestled in the crook of her neck as he lay on his side, just an inch away from her hurt arm but close enough she could feel him next to her. “I love you,” he whispered.
She didn’t say it back, but she did put her hand over his and squeezed.
“You’re going to be all right. Everything is going to be all right.” He hoped she believed him.
Just being this close to her sent a wave of relief through his mind and body. He felt her relax next to him as her breathing evened out.
And finally, they slept.
Sometime in the night, she managed to scoot back into him, her rump snug against his crotch, back against his chest, her legs outlining his. His arm had found its way across her, nestled under her breasts with her arm over his, their fingers intertwined. He nuzzled his face into her hair, kissed her head, and settled back into the best sleep he’d had in months.
He came awake slowly the next morning, opening his eyes as he became aware of two things. Brooke was awake and she was still lying in his arms.
Brooke had woken up about twenty minutes ago, feeling calm and content because of the man snuggled up behind her.
He stayed.
And she’d slept the entire night without having a nightmare for the first time since the attack. She tried to dismiss it, reasoning it out that the sedative the doctor gave her had done its job. But in her heart, she knew it was Cody beside her, holding her in the night, keeping the nightmares away.
Cody nuzzled his nose into her hair. “This is how I want to wake up every morning.”
She actually grinned. “Thank you for staying.”
“No place I’d rather be.” He held her a little closer, his breath feathering through her hair. “Are you in pain?”
