“Nothing. Sorry. Go back to sleep.”
But the more I think about how absurd all of this is, two grown men being held hostage by their families who have had enough of dealing with their shit, the more amusing I find it.
I can’t stop another chuckle from slipping out.
“You’re being weird.”
I’m pretty sure laughing to yourself is a sign of insanity, but I can’t help it. Something about Jackson’s quasi-gruff tone sets me off, and I burst out laughing.
He sits up. “What. Is. It?”
“It’sthis. You and me, in the same bed,” I say, my words spilling out between laughs. “I mean, come on. Could you have ever imagined we’d end up in bed together the first time we saw each other?”
“Outside Bunny’s?”
I stop laughing and turn on the bedside light. “That’s not the first time I saw you.”
He flinches, blinking a few times as he adjusts to the light again. “It isn’t?”
I prop myself up and lean against the headboard. “No. The first time I saw you was inside, marching toward Ridge Duporth with what I now recognize as your typical murderous look.”
He casts his head back, his eyes fall to my chest, then asks, “My murderous look?”
“It’s cute…and also completely terrifying.”
He smirks. “I like to keep people on their toes.”
“So I’ve noticed.”
He drifts back until he’s resting against the headboard as well. “I wondered why you stopped me outside. I assumed you were one of Duporth’s buddies.”
“I figured as much. I saw what happened, and when you got kicked out, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Why? You didn’t know me.”
That’s a good fucking question. One I’ve asked myself a thousand times over.
I don’t believe in love at first sight.At all. But just one look at Jackson stomping across the crowded bar, and I was intrigued. Pulled by an invisible force I can’t find words for. How else canI explain chasing after a complete stranger to make sure he was okay? Jackson had me hooked from the moment I laid eyes on him.
“Dunno,” I reply, trying to play it off. “Just being nosy, I guess.”
“Hm.”
We fall into silence after that. Jackson slides down, rests his head on his pillow, and turns away from me. I turn off the light. After a few minutes, his breathing evens out, getting longer and deeper.
I lie down, listening to him sleeping, and remind myself to be careful. If today has proven anything, it’s how volatile Jackson can be. Do I need that in my life? Probably not. I’m doing well staying sober, and I’ve got plenty to do at the sanctuary. I should focus on that, on my family, on staying on the right path.
But I’m being pulled into Jackson’s orbit, whether I like it or not. From that very first night at Bunny’s, Jackson Hunter has had a hold over me I can’t explain or rationalize.
I have no idea what it means, or how the fuck the rest of this weekend is going to go, but I should probably try to get some shut-eye, too. Something tells me I’m going to need all the rest I can get to prepare for whatever lies ahead.
The problem with sharing a bed with someone who’s used to getting up before dawn is…the fact that they get up before dawn.
Gentle light spills into the room from around the edges of the curtains. I yawn and stretch out in the empty bed, feeling tired even though I slept all the way through once I managed to drift off. Unfortunately, waking up exhausted and dragging myself out of bed is par for the course for me.
I peel off the covers and pad barefoot down the hallway. The smell of freshly brewed coffee hits me as I enter the kitchen. I smile as I spot a mug of freshly brewed coffee on the counter. There’s a note scribbled on a lined memo pad beside it. I read it as I take my first sip.
See? I didn’t fall off the bed. I was right…as always.
