Page 14 of How Not to Date a Demon

She blinked her eyes open, sitting up as unease slithered through her.

Galen froze on his way to the bed, shirtless and in his sweats. He was… glistening?

“Hot cakes, why are you sweating?” she asked, voice tumbling out like pea gravel. She cleared her throat from sleep.

“What?”

Maeve watched as he wiped a hand across his forehead before seeing the moisture and nodding. “Oh, uh, I woke up from a bad dream. Yeah, that’s why I went to the kitchen to get some water. Want some?” He held a glass out to her, and she noticed the slightest shake in his hand, water sloshing against the rim.

What kind of dream had it been?

Shaking her head, she patted the spot beside her in the bed, concern brushing away cobwebs of sleep.

“What was the dream about?”

He winced, darting his gaze from hers, brows furrowing. Maeve had never seen him like this. What had him so shaken up?

“It was… uh, about my job, I think,” he said, clearing his throat.

She went into comfort mode, her worries and suspicions forgotten in the face of Galen’s clear distress. Maeve had known he’d been worried about the promotion, but worried enough for him to have nightmares?

“You poor thing,” she cooed, and took the glass from him.

He blinked at her emptily, and her heart melted. “Come back to bed.”

Galen let her pull his bulk into the bed, and she sat on his lap, curled around him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him close.

Her boobs did make the best pillows. Galen’s words, not hers.

“It’ll work out just fine. And if not, then we’ll figure it out together.”

Galen lifted his head, peered at her, and they were both quiet for a long time.

“You mean that, don’t you?” Galen asked.

It made her lips curl into a frown. Did he not believe her? “Of course.”

His gaze softened as he stared at her, the lines around his eyes fading away. “Just knowing that helps,” he said in a rough voice.

Then he pulled her close again, and she rested her chin atop his head and stroked her fingers through his hair. “Everything will work out how it’s supposed to,” she whispered.

“I hate when you say that,” he retorted, his voice little more than a vibration against her chest.

It pulled a chuckle from her, and Galen scooped his hand around her waist and rolled them over.

“Sleep,” he mumbled and pulled the blankets up around them. She cozied up to him, seeking his warmth.

“Goodnight, baby,” he whispered.

Maeve drew circles on his chest until she felt his breath even out, and only then did she let sleep suck her back under.

Maeve

Maeve got up early.

Shocking, right?

She crawled out of bed silently and slinked around the house to make breakfast for Galen. But coffee first, of course. Rain tapped against the windows, making it the perfect day to sleep in since she had the day off. But she could sleep after she spoiled her boyfriend. Galen was stressed, and Maeve had been too caught up in her own shit to notice.