I made it as far as the first step before I gave up.“Forget it,” I said to no one and set it down.I wandered up the long staircase, through the hallway, and into Stefan's room.The bed called my name, and I shuffled directly to it.I couldn’t remember a time when I was this tired.Not even when I'd pulled double shifts.
I guess grumpy men who lived in castles made me extra tired.
I pulled the covers back on the bed and slipped between the softest sheets I'd ever felt in my life.
This.
Was.
Heaven.
My head hit the pillow—and I was out.
2
Francesca
Iopened my eyes to a mostly dark room.
The moonlight shone through the front window, creating a lovely effect.“Shh, sleep,” Stefan's voice floated into my ear.
“Where did you go?”I mumbled, hardly able to get out the words.I was so, so, so tired.
“Go back to sleep, Chesca.”I felt his lips on my cheek and that confused me.Mostly because I remembered his big man tantrum before he left.Why in the world was he here with me in bed kissing my cheek?
“What are you doing?I thought you were mad at me?”I swallowed but my mouth felt dry.Which was weird.Maybe it was the air here.But that didn't make much sense since there was a huge body of water right outside.
His arm tightened around my middle.“No, I'm mad at myself for how I treated you.I'm sorry, Chesca.So fuckin' sorry.”He kissed my cheek again and pulled me into his body.
I wanted to ask him more questions, but I just couldn't stay awake to do it.
Right before I drifted off again, I thought I heard Stefan say, “I don't deserve you.”
Or I might have dreamt it.
3
Francesca
“Go away,” I choked out as I searched for a cooler part of the bed.I woke up all sweaty from Stefan.He'd held me all night in his arms, and now I was paying for it.
“Francesca, why are you sweating so much?”he asked in his morning voice.
“Because you're too hot.Go away,” I whined and complained like a toddler.The bed over here was cooler.But not for long.It immediately heated up again.What was wrong with this bed?“Turn the furnace off.It's way too hot.”
My mouth was parched.
I needed water.I pushed up to sit, and my head spun.“Ugh,” I said, holding my poor, throbbing head with both hands.
“What's wrong?”Stefan asked.Just the sound of his voice made me want to slug him.
“Why are you yelling?”My head was seriously about to explode.Why couldn't he be quiet?
“I'm not yelling.”His hand touched my back, and I immediately recoiled.
“Well, isn't that a change,” I snapped at him.As carefully as I could, I swung my legs over the side of the bed.I needed water.So badly.But when I pushed off the bed, my head got so much worse.A wave of horrible nausea hit me like a baseball bat to the skull.Had I been run over by a truck and not realized it?
“Francesca, are you okay?”Stefan asked.I heard the bedsprings move.
