Page 75 of If You Need Me

It would be so easy to let him try. But I can’t deal with physical contact. I have too many feelings tonight, and I can’t manage chemistry feelings on top of all the other ones.

“’Night, Dallas.”

He withdraws his hand. “’Night, Wilhelmina.”

It’s going to be a long one.

CHAPTER 27

DALLAS

Iwake up to Willy’s butt and back against my side. In her defense, this bed is really small, and there’s a dip in the middle that causes us to roll toward each other. Not that I’m complaining. It’s the opposite, actually. I’m living my dream.

I lie on my back, basking in the glory of this tiny fucking bed. My mom had a plan when she put us out here. My bedroom has a queen, and so do all of my siblings’ old bedrooms. But out here in the cabin, we have privacy and closeness, which my mother believed we needed as a newly engaged couple. Bless her sweet, unknowing heart.

I have a crick in my neck from staring at Wills for the past half hour, but it’s worth the pain to watch her like this. Her long, wavy hair fans out over the pillow, and she hugs another one to her chest. She kicked off all the covers at some point during the night, and her sleep shirt has ridden up, revealing a pair of dark blue boy short panties. They show off the incredible curve of her ass.

I continue to lie beside her until my morning wood demands my attention. I doubt she’d be impressed if she woke up next to me and my very excited erection after how last night ended. I have enough time for a stealth session in thebathroom, so I carefully slide out of bed. Wills immediately rolls into the center and snuggles with my pillow.

It does not take me long to handle my handle. Wills is still sleeping soundly when I emerge from the bathroom. I’d love a coffee, but I don’t want to wake her with the noise. I avoid all the creaky spots on the floor as I open the door and step outside.

It’s a beautiful July morning. The sun sits just above the tree line across the lake, its reflection forming a path across the surface of the water that ends at our beach. The lake is smooth as glass, a light fog caressing it. A few kayakers make the most of the morning serenity before the speedboats and jet skis come out to play.

This is my favorite time of day, other than nights spent in front of the campfire, making s’mores and enjoying the night lit up by stars. But nothing beats a summer morning. A hummingbird zooms around the feeder hung from the eaves. He’s quickly chased off by another bigger hummer.

A lot of what Willy said on the walk home last night rang true in ways I hadn’t considered before. In high school, I had friends in every group. Maybe they were more like acquaintances, but people wanted to be around me. And my position at the top of the social hierarchy was important to me. Too important. Being the cool kid felt good, especially with a family like mine. Being popular gave me a false sense of importance, and I never wanted to lose that. I cared so much about other people’s opinions that it took a long time for me to realize what kind of person it made me. It clouded my judgment.

I played on the sports teams, and everyone knew I had promise as a hockey player. It was too small a town for me to go unnoticed. But Willy’s experience was the opposite of mine. She didn’t fit in with a lot of the other girls in our class. She was strong willed, and she didn’t back down. It made her a great class president, but a lot of people were intimidated by her, and guys didn’t know how to handle her.

She’s gone through so much bullshit to get where she is, andit makes me love her even more. But I hate how much I used to be part of that bullshit.

The door to the cabin opens, and a very rumpled, groggy-looking Wills appears on the front porch. She’s still in her nightshirt, which skims the top of her thighs. Her nipples peak against the pale fabric. The front of her nightshirt boasts a cartoon of an angry coffee cup and lumps of sugar who appear terrified.

“Good morning, gorgeous.”

“That’s questionable.” She grimaces against the sunlight, but trudges across the porch and drops down next to me on the swing.

“Did you sleep okay?” I have the gift of being able to pass out within seconds of my head hitting the pillow. But I woke up about an hour after we went to bed with Wills draped across my body.

She grunts and lets her head fall back. “My head is killing me.”

“Let me get you something for that.”

“I need coffee or heads will roll,” she grumbles.

Despite the probability that she will retaliate by biting me, I lean over and kiss her forehead. “You are the most adorable gremlin in the morning.”

“Ugh. I hate you.” She groans. “But mostly because you’re being so fucking sweet, and I’m so damn salty.”

“Your saltiness is one of my favorite things about you.” I pat her bare thigh. “I’ll put the coffee on and bring you something for your head.”

I push out of the swing and head for the door.

“Thank you,” she mumbles as she stretches out, tucking a pillow behind her.

I set the kettle to boil and bring her a bottle of water and two painkillers.

“This view is incredible.” Wills holds out her hand, and I drop the medicine in her palm.

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