Page 35 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs
Her brain shifted into focus as she realized what was happening. She’d had a nightmare. Her cheeks were wet with tears. Jaxson was sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to calm her down. She took in a breath as a hot embarrassment suffused her. “I’m sorry,” she lamented.
“No worries.” Pale moonlight bathed the room, coming in through the partially open blinds.
“Breathe,” Jaxson commanded. She did so, feeling like the situation was a repeat of earlier when Lucas had helped her calm down. She forced herself to breathe in through her nose slowly. She held her breath for a few counts before pushing it out through her mouth. She kept repeating the process, taking in a little more air each time. A few minutes later, she felt the blood returning to her face. It was then that she had enough clarity to pay closer attention to Jaxson. He seemed to bedoing remarkably well, considering his fall. Doctor Jepson had called, helping to ease everyone’s fears. He said that Jaxson was the best judge of how he was feeling, and Jaxson agreed wholeheartedly, insisting that he was perfectly fine. To prove his point, he’d polished off three slices of pizza and drank every drop of his large smoothie.
“You’re gonna be just fine,” Jaxson assured her.
A small grin touched Lemon’s lips. Jaxson sounded boyishly cute, his voice coated with sleep. His hair was sticking up in all directions. Her breath froze when she realized that he was shirtless. Jeepers creepers, he was fit! His torso was so chiseled it might’ve belonged on a Greek statue. Her throat went dry as she swallowed.
Tenderly, he pushed a strand of hair away from her face. She realized that her hair was damp. She winced inwardly. He probably thought she was gross … all sweaty.
“You wanna tell me about it?”
“The nightmare?”
“Yeah.”
She let out a heavy sigh as she moistened her lips. “Sure. I’ll tell you as much as I can remember.” A shaky laugh left her throat. “Maybe you can help me make sense of it.”
He chuckled. “I’ve never claimed to be a dream analyzer, but I’ll do my best.”
Simply having his presence in the room helped to restore a sense of calm and normalcy. She scooted. “Care to join me? I promise I don’t bite,” she quipped.
“It’s not the biting that I’m worried about,” he countered, repeating the words she’d said to him.
She held up her hands. “No funny business. I promise.” Even though she was trying to be cute and funny, the truth was, she was unsettled and didn’t want to be alone right now.
He climbed in the bed, groaning slightly with the movement.
“Oh, my gosh! I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Your ribs and ankle.”
“I’m okay,” he said, his voice strained. “I just need to get somewhere and stay still.”
“Do you need me to prop up your ankle?”
“No, not right now.” He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her close, and relaxed against her. “Okay, tell me.”
The warmth of his skin seeped through her t-shirt, making her feel cozy and protected. Lightly, absently, he brushed his fingers against her arm. It tickled her skin, sending tingles of awareness over her. She chewed on her bottom lip, compiling her thoughts. “I was in the bedroom of an estate. Somewhere near the ocean. I was getting ready to attend a banquet. I had brought a gold gown to wear, but a man changed it to red.”
Jaxson tensed. “What man?”
She bunched her brows. “I’m not sure. I never saw the man’s face. A maid was there, helping me. She said the man’s last name.” She searched her memory. “I can’t remember,” she sighed in frustration.
“What else happened?”
“I was furious that the man had switched my dress. It seemed like it was a form of manipulation and control. The maid told me to wear the dress.” Echoes of her fear returned as she swallowed hard. “The maid told me to get away from the man and the estate. At first, I thought the maid was older, but then she transformed in front of my eyes, and I realized she was young and beautiful. And incredibly sad.” A shiver ran down her spine.
He rubbed her arm. “Are you okay? You’ve got goosebumps.”
“Yeah,” she sighed, “I’m okay.” Sinister shadows crowded around her, threatening to rip away her sanity. She sucked in a breath, willing herself to continue. “My dream changed, and I was walking up a long set of stairs. I heard a woman crying. Iwas terrified to open the door, but I forced myself to do so.” Her stomach twisted. “Then, I fell.” She was glad it was dark enough in the room so that Jaxson wouldn’t realize that she had tears in her eyes. “You came in and woke me up.” Her voice hitched. “I have no idea what any of it means. Was it just a dream … or my memories trying to surface?” She blew out a frustrated breath. “I have no idea.”
“Either way, you’re safe here with me,” he murmured into her hair.
She rested her head against the curve of his shoulder. She reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his. “Thank you.”
He sounded surprised. “For what?”
A smile tipped her lips. “For being you. It can’t be easy for you to deal with my memory loss. And your ankle and bruised ribs. I’ve completely disrupted your life, and yet, you’ve been so patient and understanding.” She turned to look at him. “Have you always been so altruistic?”
