Rescue Me *Completed*

Chapter Seventeen

It took me a while to feel the slumber take me away again. For a moment, I thought I had stayed up the whole night watching the moon reflect off the ocean's face; maybe even feel him wrap his arms around me at some point in the middle of the night. But when I closed my eyes to take in his protective warmth, I woke up to the sound seagulls near by and no sight of Michael.

The motion of gaining consciousness hit me like a fright train as I nearly spooked myself from the sight of his empty gray room.

That's right, I sighed in relief. I can't go back to my apartment. Where... was Michael anyway? Did he manage to go back to sleep? Did he...

I felt my cheeks burn.

Did he really hold me or... what that a mental trick again?

Carefully, I lifted myself up with my good hand, sliding my aching feet onto the cold wooden floors when I saw the note on the black nightstand.

In case you forgot I worked today, I'm reminding you now. There are breakfast burritos in the freezer that you can heat up in the microwave. Do not- I repeat, DO NOT attempt to cook. Please order take out if you are hungry, my credit card is on the kitchen counter. I will text you when I am done for the day. If you need anything, call me.

P.S. I will order an air mattress sometime today. You kick too much.

-M.

I kicked him?! Oh my god, I literally kicked him out of his own bed!

I groaned in embarrassment.

There's no way he would of held me if I was thrashing in bed like that. Besides... he doesn't seem like the type to pull a move like that. No, that had to be a dream. It's just the trick of the dream state. I shook my head. Yeah, that's all it was.

I took a hot shower to ease the discomfort I still felt all over my body.

As I started to rub the sponge all over my chest, something about his body wash that comforted me as I washed. Perhaps it was because of the faint smell that lingered on his body that I could smell off and on at times. With the mix of the steaming heat and the comforting soap, it felt like a warm protective hug in my heart. That and; well, other things that made me feel tingly on the inside. When I closed my eyes, I saw his beautiful defined hands. His strong arms, charming eyes, all of him just made me melt.

I want to feel his hands on my shoulders again. I want to feel him hold me like in my dreams. I wanted his hands to explore. Wandering, tracing, teasing—

"Fuck, what the hell!" I buried my face under the water. "Mm-mm! Mm-mm!"

Nononononono, I can't be thinking lewd shit like that, not while I'm in his house at least! He's just a roomie. A friend maybe, but just a roomie non the less. That's all. I mean, that's what he told his aunt anyway!

When I was finally clean and my eyes felt less stingy from the fatigue, I went to the kitchen to heat up a frozen burrito. I rarely ate in the morning since I always slept in, but considering that I couldn't get comfortable, I thought it would be best to have a little something before I had to face some angry parents over the phone.

***

As I expected, most of the responses I received were not very good.

Either they brought up the fact that they were paying for my tutoring sessions so I needed to continue, or that breaking my hand was not an excuse.

It honestly astonished me that this was how some rich people had the audacity to talk to someone. Like I said, I expected it, but it still hurt that this is who they actually were when things didn't go their way.