Be Brave With Me

Chapter Fifteen

Aura cracked open the door to the library, peeking inside. It was dark in there. Shelves filled with books lined every wall, the lamps attached to them cast a few golden shadows.

Maybe Avery had gotten it wrong? Maybe Theo wasn't-

She spotted his feet. Sticking out from the end of the daybed that was hidden away in one nook of the room.

There he was.

She slipped into the room, closed the door softly behind her and crossed the thick carpet. Her bare feet barely made a sound; he didn't stir. She came to stand at the edge of the bed; he slept on. Lying on his stomach, his back rose and fell in slow turns, his head was buried in the shadows of the nook and the crook of his arm.

She smiled. Her first one, in three days. Two days ago, her hands had begun to tremble. One day ago, her heart had joined the race. It had reached maximum speed this morning.

Tonight was her big night. The night she had spent the better part of eight years working towards. The night she had hoped for her entire life. Tonight, she'd finally walk into the outstretched arms of her parents.

She'd have to remember not to break out into a run when she spotted them.

Yet, here she stood. Rooted to the spot, motionless.

Watching over Theo's sleeping form, watching his chest rise and fall. Finding herself breathing with him.

Theo had taken over the night shift with Bardo last night, they had moored here in Cannes shortly before dawn this morning, and Jess needed to know if the harbor master had given him any info about extra security measures for the mega yachts.

She had volunteered to find him - jumped up from her spot and took off down the hallway, in fact.

Eager to shake off the weird distance that had settled around them ever since she had left him standing alone on the terrace of Josip's three days ago. For some "emergency" that Jess had been able to handle on her own, after all. Eager to get things back to normal between them.

Aura had been looking for him everywhere onboard. She hadn't known she would find him here - lost in the peace and quiet of a simple afternoon nap.

Giving into the hollow ache in her belly, she crawled up onto the daybed and curled her body into his side. The top of her head grazed his tricep, her knees bumped against his hip as she pulled them up to her chest. Her forehead came to rest against the side of his rib cage.

The warmth of his skin seeped through his shirt. His peace and quiet, too.

She closed her eyes and exhaled. For the first time in three days.

A heartbeat or two of serenity.

And then, his voice, rough from sleep."You smell incredible."

She sighed - not about the compliment, but from exhaustion. "Papaya and honey face mask. Brown sugar body rub. Coconut and aloe vera hair mask. The whole nine yards. I'll be followed by bees tonight, I'm sure of it."

He chuckled softly and shifted his arm at the top of her head, lifting it up to peek down his side where she was lying. "Today is the big day, hm?"

She couldn't muster the strength to look up and meet his eyes, so she kept hers closed. She didn't answer, simply nodded into his body. The foam curlers twisted into her hair brushed against his rips.

"C'mere then." He shifted onto his side and curled his body around hers, protecting her in the curve of his torso. Hiding her from the world's prying eyes which she'd have to face so soon.