Someone To Watch Over Me - Book 1

Chapter Ten

The pull of reality beckons me as someone calls my name, but I refuse to give in. Instead, I snuggle in deeper while a pair of powerful arms lifts me from the sofa to carry me into the bedroom.

I can feel the softness of the bed beneath me as I am lowered upon the pillow top mattress. A smile spreads across my lips. I wind my arms around his neck and my smile grows as I hear his deep, throaty chuckle. 

"You need to let go, Cat."

I shake my head no. Alex is here now, and I don't want to let him go. My dream is so vivid I swear the smell of the soap he uses is filling my nostrils as I pull him closer. I want him, and as this is my dream, I know he wants me too. He's brought me here to make love to me, and so I pull him in for a kiss.

My lips slowly caress his, and I hear his sharp intake of breath right before his lips glide effortlessly over mine. I sigh and shudder in utter contentment. His fingers gently caress my face, but all too soon he pulls my arms away from around his neck.

I'm lost without his touch. "Don't go!" 

I want him to stay here - here where I am safe. Here where I am wanted, because I want him, oh so much.

"Cat... I," his voice sounds shaky, and my eyes drift slowly open. 

"Hey." Alex is sitting on the edge of the bed. He caresses the side of my cheek. "It's okay, Cat, just get some sleep."

My eyes feel so heavy, but I don't want this dream to end. "Stay," I hear myself say.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he tells me.

"Please."

I see it in his eyes, the desire to give in, and he does. "Only until you fall asleep, okay?"

I nod my head in agreement. I'd agree to anything so long as it means him staying here with me.

He goes to the other side of the bed and climbs in behind me. His arm drapes over me, and I can feel the warmth of his body next to mine. I wiggle a bit to get even closer, but stop when his arm tightens around me. 

"Not a good idea, Cat. I'll be right here until you fall asleep. Just please try to stay still."

He wants me. I smile secretly to myself, in this wonderful dream within a dream. I roll over in his arms and burrow my face into his neck, my head just under his chin. His arms cradled me. He feels so warm and comforting that I want to do so much more, but I quickly lose myself to sleep.

***

My phone is ringing, and I reach out to silence it. Whoever it is will have to wait until I'm fully awake. I stretch and an image springs to mind, an image so vivid, I immediately reach beside me and sigh in a moment of relief when I find the bed is empty.

I have got to get a grip. I can't keep letting my imagination toy with the idea of Alex being anything more than a friend. My fingers touch my lips as I recall how his lips felt on mine. His lips felt so real, so soft, so inviting. 

No, Cat! You're just desperate to cling to his kindness because of everything you're going through, but don't make that mistake. It's not reality.

I know that's the truth, but I still can't shake the feeling. In the shower, I let the warm spray wash over me. I'm still focused on Alex. I am so drawn to him and it makes no sense. Maybe it's a Florence Nightingale thing. He's stepped up and rescued me when I needed it most, so my brain just wants to interpret that to mean something more. Maybe I'm enamored because he's my hero.

I am no closer to a conclusion when I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around myself. I walk back into the bedroom and lose the towel in order to get dressed. No sooner so I let go than someone opens the door. I scramble for the material, but it slips out of my grasp and falls to the floor. I make a quick grab for a blanket at the end of the bed.