Ask Me to Stay

Chapter Twenty-Three

Vera's POV

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I sat in my bed for most of the early morning, eavesdropping on the rest of the house. Kara popped in, looking like she hadn't slept. Pulling me away from my thoughts of Dominic and I...and our future. Because apparently there is one now, we actually stand a fighting chance at being able to get through this patch of...of frowned-upon love.

"Hey, Uhm...I have to head in early today, I just came home for a quick shower and some coffee." She groaned, head leaning on my door as she spoke. She wasn't in her usual scrubs that she would leave in to go to work.

"Okay," I gulped not wanting my question to sound like it had a motive. "Where are ya headed, anyway?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Oh," She looked down at herself, coming to the same conclusion I had. "I just have to run some errands and pick up some things for people at the office, and then I'll go into work. Things have been crazy lately." I just nod. Wrapping my arms around when she gives me a goodbye hug, mumbling my 'goodbye' and 'I love you'.

Now for the thing I have been waiting to do since I woke up.

Immediately when I heard the front door close, and her car screech out of the driveway and peel away into the street, I booked it out of my room. Comfily clad in shorts, a cropped tank top, and a thin soft kimono-style robe. I was quiet as I opened his door, pausing in the doorway to watch him for a moment.

He was still curled into the sheets, back towards the rest of the bed. His knees were pulled up by his chest and his face was hidden behind his arms and the blanket. If he didn't sleep well I would be genuinely surprised. When we share a bed I can tell it's not easy for him, before Paris it was even hard. Then he had to contend with the anxiety of being caught but also the wavering of his will to wait to have me. Now it's just the anxiety, even when he's sleeping he's focused on being ready if someone were to barge in. His body, constantly in position to detach from me as fast as possible. It was amazing in Paris to feel like we had time, to feel like we were just another couple, to feel safe...to feel normal.

I crawled in bed beside him, sadly on the side with years of being stained by Kara's seniority. I nestled in behind him, curling my body around his as if I could ever be an adequate big-spoon. I snuck my arm around him, between his arm and his side, pulling us closer than we've been in days.

"Kara," He groaned, sounding annoyed. "I'm tired and hungover, I don't want to-"

"Don't want to what?" I asked amusedly. "Let me cuddle you? Wow, guess I'll just leave ya to it then." I joked, making the slight movement away from him. Instead, he flipped himself around and hurriedly pulled me to his chest.

"Like I would let you do that," He chuckled, tipping my head back with his hand before finding my lips with his. As soon as his mouth opened to mine and his tongue swiped over mine I began to laugh, causing him to pull away and groan. "That bad, huh?"

"Definitely unpleasant...a hint of beer, whiskey, something...maybe Doritos? and morning." I giggled, curling back into him and soaking in his warmth.

"My friends know about you, or at least they know I'm seeing someone else...along with Kara. Last night I kinda broke down, probably the alcohol and draining state of mind, and they really helped me figure out my priorities." He vented, running his fingers up and down my arm, playing with my collar bone, and then moving down my side, causing shivers to rush through me.

"Reese kinda scared me," I began, earning a concerned look from Dominic. "I just mean...he seems too smart for his own good, for our own good. He just talked like he knew more than he was leading on. But I'm glad you found some...confidence in your friends." I wrapped my arms around Dominic and hugged into him, wanting to merge our bodies together so I never had to leave him.