Blood Stained Collar BOOK 2 of The Collar Series #Wattys2017 ( BDSM )

CHAPTER 39

"Hey, sleepy head. Wake up and come inside. It's going to rain."

Reluctantly she opened her eyes and stared up into Reece's sleepy face. Her heart went out to him when she saw the dark, puffy circles under his eyes. "You look shattered."

"And you're going to get soaked out here." He pulled her up from the sun lounger. "I was sleeping, until the thunder woke me up."

Melanie couldn't help feeling awkward in his arms when he pulled her close and hugged her. He kissed the top of her head. "Come and lie with me. We could both use a few more hours sleep before the next shift. It's been a tough twenty four hours." He curled his arm around her waist and tucked her snuggly into his side as he guided her to the bed.

Lying on the bed together, Melanie's thoughts drifted to Cirrus and the moments they had spooned together on the bed. A sense of guilt washed over her as she thought of Cirrus lying on the hospital bed. She tried to ease out of Reece's arms but he only pulled her in closer. She held her breath when his hand found its way inside her robe and cupped her breast.

Reece was beyond tired but with Melanie in his arms and knowing she was naked under her robe he wanted her. His fingers circled her nipple and squeezed. He waited for her to turn round, but instead she moved his hand away and pulled out of his arms.

"Reece, please, not now. I am so tired and my head is throbbing."

He couldn't help feeling hurt and struggled with her rejection. "You've never said no before, not even when you're tired."

Melanie sat up and faced him. "The last 24 hours have been exhausting for both of us and we will be back on shift again soon, so we need to sleep and by sleep, I mean, no sex, just sleep... please."

"Fine. I'll go sleep on the couch." Grabbing his pillows he headed for the couch.

"Reece...no need for you to get up."

"No, it's fine. You don't want to be disturbed so I will leave you in peace."

"Ohh, for heaven's sake, you're behaving like a child."

He ignored her and threw the pillows on the couch and plonked himself down. Facing away from her he muttered under his breath and wrestled with the pillows trying to get comfortable.

Unable to sleep Melanie showered and dressed in her uniform and went back to the hospital. All the patients from the plane crash were already settled in wards and the ER appeared to be running smoothly again as she poked her head through the door. She found Cirrus's ward and peeped in to see if he was alone. He was fast asleep when she approached his bed.

Time seemed to stand still as she studied his bruised and battered face. The noise of the hospital faded into the background. She rubbed the palms of her hands together. Why did they feel so hot and sweaty. A hot flush crept over her body. "Damn you Cirrus, why do you still have such an effect on me after all this time?" She whispered. The temptation to touch him was so overwhelming she placed her hand over his before she realized she'd done it.

"Melanie." His voice was a hoarse whisper. "Is it really you. I'm not dreaming?" He coughed.

"Shhh, don't try and talk. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. It was so busy yesterday I didn't have time to get back to you."

"Crystal, is she okay?"

"Whose Crystal?"

"A friend. She was helping me. She came...to help me find you." Cirrus coughed again.

"I asked you not to come looking for me." When Cirrus coughed, she changed the subject. "You need to rest now. I will go and see what I can find out about your friend Crystal."

"Mel..."

"Cirrus, we will talk another time when you're feeling better. Rest now. I'll check on you later." She smiled and fussed with his blankets before leaving. She found it difficult to look into his eyes.

Melanie hurried off to see if she could find out anything about Crystal. She didn't want to admit that she was eager to see who this person was that was supposedly helping Cirrus locate her. Why would any girl want to do that? Surely, they would be more interested in being with him, than finding his ex-girlfriend? After not finding any information about a Crystal from the plane crash Melanie signed in for work leaving the searching to reception, to check in the nearby hospitals that took the other casualties.

***

Melanie pushed her salad around her plate. Stabbing a slice of cucumber with her fork she lifted it up and stared at it. Food and eating were the furthest things from her mind right now. Every part of her was standing beside Cirrus's bed, every part except her actual physical being. 'Why did you come now? Just when I have started to move on without you. You fall back into my world and turn it upside down again.'

"Well if you're not going to eat that I will." Reece snatched the cucumber off the end of her fork and popped it into his mouth.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't due in till later."

"I got lonely and the couch was uncomfortable."

"It's your fault you went to sleep on the couch. I never asked you to."

"I know. I think we were both just tired and the slightest thing was a trigger. I'm sorry."

"Me too." Melanie smiled. Reece was sweet and he loved her. At that moment, it was as though someone kicked her in the stomach. 'You don't want sweet. You want everything that Reece is not and Cirrus is.' The thought struck her like a bolt of lightning. What the hell was she going to do now? More importantly what did she want to do now?