Page 39 of Unhurried Hearts

The next thing I know, his warm hand is wrapped around my wrist, and I’m tugged inside, the howl of the wind cut off as the door swings shut behind us. I attempt to blow a damp strand of hair out of my face, suddenly aware that I likely resemble a wet towel. Chris’s spicy smell surrounds me as he steps in and begins to run his hands over my face, my head, down my body. I’m wondering why he’s rushing through his touches when it clicks. He’s checking me over to make sure I’m safe. I might be a bit freaked if someone randomly showed up soaking wet at my house too.

“I’m okay,” I croak. “I just…missed you.”

His expression softens, a sweet smile on his lips as he scratches his neck. If I thought cosy evening Chris washot, that’s only because I’d yet to meet middle-of-the-night pyjama pants Chris.

“You came here to be with me?” He sounds a bit awestruck over it.

“Yeah.” I examine my hands, red and raw from the cold. “I’m sorry I woke you up.”

He scoffs in response, peeling my coat off.

“Did you…did you just get back?” He’s still waking up and his hair is all sticky-uppy at the back.

I rub my tired eyes. “I came right from the ferry.”

“In this weather?”

“Almost didn’t make it back tonight.”

My lip trembles which is so wimpy. It’s not like I took a dinghy to get here.

And because he looks like he truly cares, I launch into all the other things that are bothering me.

“My hotel was terrible. There were people partying next door and I couldn’t get to sleep until late every night. The course I took was good but the days were way longer than they said and so I got stuck in traffic and missed my ferry reservation and then the winds picked up—” I gasp a breath so I can finish. “And my mom won’t stop calling me because I haven’t called her back which I know you think is dumb because you obviously have the perfect relationship with your parentsbut—”

“Whoa, Anna. Honey.” He holds me firm around the shoulders like he’s keeping me from running away with my next train of thought.

I snap my mouth closed.

“Those are all…daytime problems.”

“Daytime problems? Are you one of those guys who rolls over and turns off his brain until morning?”

“Yes. It’s easier to figure them out in the light of day. Are you hungry?”

I shake my head.

“Tired?”

I nod.

“You’re practically swaying, honey.”

He scoops me in his arms and carries me to his bedroom. A blur of fur barrels through the doorway right between Chris’s feet.

“Why the hell is everyone awake right now?”

I stifle my giggle at his grumpy, gravelly nighttime voice.

He sets me down and starts rifling through his drawers.

“Here.” He holds out a t-shirt and jerks his head to the hall. “Bathroom is there. Should be a spare toothbrush under the sink.”

After I slip into the soft shirt that only just covers my butt and brush my teeth I tip-toe into his room. It’s so dark but knowing he’s close keeps me calm. I don’t know whatside of the bed he sleeps on and I choose wrong because when I put my hand out to feel for the bed a warm hand wraps around mine and then I’m flat on the mattress with gasp. I’m not wearing any underwear and now the t-shirt is riding up.

“Get comfy. It’s bedtime.”

I have almost no space. “Okay. Are you gonna move over or…”

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