Just Breathe

Chapter Fifteen Bailey

I wake up feeling like I can’t breathe. At first, I’m confused as to where I am, and then the events from the night before come rushing back, to when Gavin took me in the shower. All thoughts of him making love to me are wiped out when there’s a tightening grip around my ribs and shouting of someone’s name, I can’t quite make out. I try to move and wake Gavin up when I realize that I’m still tightly snuggled against his chest, a chest that is covered in sweat. I lift my head as much as I can to look up at his face, his eyes are still closed, squeezed tight, and there’s a light sheen of sweat covering his face.
“Gavin.” I try to get out, but he begins to thrash around and his grip on me tightens, even more, I feel it may leave a bruise. I finally manage to slip one of my arms free and reach up to shake him awake.
“Gavin!” I get out, much louder this time. God, he seems to be having a horrible nightmare.
“TRAVIS!” he screams into the night and jolts up so abruptly, I almost fall out of bed.
“Gavin?” I whisper, trying to not startle him even more. I slowly move on the bed next to him and gently place my hand on his sweaty back. At my touch he flinches, and I retrieve it quickly. When his eyes lock with mine, I almost burst into tears.
Staring back at me aren’t those intense dark chocolate eyes that make me melt just by looking at me. Staring back are eyes so hollow, that all I find is emptiness and tragic pain.
The need to wrap him in my arms and protect him is so overwhelming I just go to him without thought. I wrap my arms tightly around him and guide his face to the curve of my neck. At first, he just rests his head there, but shortly after his arms come up around my waist and move me to straddle him, where he allows me to hold and comfort him without words.
I track my fingers lightly up and down his back while feeling his laboured breathing against my chest. I wonder what he could have been dreaming about that would have him so out of control, struggling to wake up, looking so lost, and with pain filling his eyes. Before I can break the silence, Gavin pulls his head back to look straight at me, with an intensity that leaves me breathless, and all I desperately want to do is comfort him, in any way possible.
“I need you, Bailey.” He whispers against my lips and begins lifting the shirt up and over my head. I don’t argue, or ask him questions. I can feel that, right now, he just wants to forget what he was stuck living through moments ago.
“I’m yours, Gavin.” I whisper back while locking eyes with him. From the expression on his, it was the right thing to say. He crushes his lips to mine and takes what he needs. For most of what is left of the night, Gavin loses himself inside me, until he’s chased away whatever demons were haunting him while he slept.