BROKEN

Chapter 13 - Daryl

This was starting out to be a very interesting night. First, I about dropped my jaw when I saw her standing in the kitchen making dinner. She looked incredible. I saw her from behind...barefoot in a pair of tight black pants that showed every curve. Once she turned to face me, I was a fuckin' goner. Her hair was down and bouncing to the beat she was dancing to. She was the hottest girl I had ever seen. I flirted and son of a bitch, she flirted back! That made me feel really good.

Her mom must have been a good cook as the spaghetti dinner was excellent. I haven't been that full in weeks. After when we had been relaxing on the couch playing card for a while, Lauren kept talking about her family and her life. It was nothing like mine. I couldn't think of anything good to say, so I just shut up for the most part, but that tended to be my style anyway.

When the bad part of the storm hit, I didn't know what was going on. One minute she's laughing and the next she looks scared to death. That lightning and thunder were the best things that happened to me. It drove her right into my arms. Damn, she felt so good there... it was like it was exactly where she belonged. No other woman had ever made me feel this way.

Even when the storm passed through, she stayed with me. Neither of us said anything the whole time, but I knew that her fear was gone when I had felt her body relax. She seemed content to stay with me, so I kept on holding her.

After a bit, I felt her body start to slump and knew she was falling asleep. I would stay with her and guard her all night if I had to. I never wanted her to be afraid again. I whispered quietly to her, "Go to sleep, Lauren. I gotcha." I felt her snuggle in a bit deeper and go to sleep.

I don't wear a watch, so I guess an hour or more into the night I decided that we both needed to be in a more comfortable position. I managed to remove my arm from around her and shake it out. It was half numb. Lauren managed to stay leaning against the back of the sofa while still soundly sleeping.

I got up and stretched. I hadn't sat that still in a long time. I turned off all the lights but one, leaving us in a dim darkness, but it wasn't completely pitch black. I sat back down on the sofa and gathered her into my arms again. She barely stirred. I bet she was exhausted. This time I pulled her down with me, so we were lying down. Her head rested on my chest as I held her against me.

My eyes closed as I fought going to sleep. There was no one to keep watch since it was just the two us and we were both dead tired. I prayed I hadn't made a stupid mistake knowing I was going to fall asleep. I was pretty sure we were safe, but nothing was a guarantee anymore.

Lauren unconsciously shifted herself into a more comfortable position against me. Her left arm now lay across my chest, and her head was on my shoulder. I never wanted her to leave. Hell, I never thought this would ever happen. Just before I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I kissed her on the forehead. Lauren murmured something in her sleep, but I couldn't make it out. I tried to get her to say it again by kissing her forehead once more, but this time I held the kiss for a few seconds.

I could have sworn Lauren whispered in her sleep, "I love you, Daryl." I fell asleep happy for the first time in years.