Page 75 of Perfect Harmony

“I won’t sleep,” she said as he helped herstand and took her hand.

He led her up the stairs to his room. “Iwant you to try for me. Climb into my bed.”

She stared at his bed. “I can’t.”

“It worked before,” he said. “Just try, Gracie.”

“I don’t want to be alone,” she whispered.“I’m – I’m afraid.”

He took off his shirt and unbuttoned his jeans.“I’ll stay in the bed with you.”

Stripped down to his boxer briefs, he tookher hand and urged her into the bed. She climbed in and he slid in after her,pulling the sheets and the quilt up to cover them both.

When Tank jumped on the bed, he shook hishead. “No, Tank. To your bed.”

The dog whined but jumped off the bed. Ashe walked out of the room, Grace said, “I feel bad. I’m in his spot.”

Gideon spooned her, wrapping one arm aroundher waist and pulling her back snug against his chest. “You don’t need to feelbad. He has his own twin mattress on the floor in the spare bedroom, and I onlylet him sleep with me on special occasions.”

She rested her head on the pillow, snugglinginto Gideon’s heat. She yawned loudly. “What kind of special occasions?”

“His birthday. Christmas Eve. When there’sa bad thunderstorm.”

She yawned again as heaviness stole intoher limbs and exhaustion fogged her thought process. “He’s a good,” a third yawnthat nearly split her face in half, “boy.”

“He is,” Gideon said. His warm hand brushedher hair away from the back of her neck, and he pressed a kiss against herskin. “Go to sleep, Princess.”

“Tired,” she mumbled.

“I know, baby. Go to sleep.”

She closed her eyes and embraced the sweetbliss of sleep.

* * *

“Tank, ugh. Don’t lick my face, buddy.”Grace sat up in Gideon’s bed, staring blankly at Tank who was lying beside her.

She glanced at the alarm clock. It was justafter eight and the house was quiet. Shit, she needed to be at work in less thanhalf an hour.

You gonna wear Gideon’s shirt to work?

She muttered another curse. She needed to callin and take a personal day while she figured out what the hell she was going todo.

There was a piece of folded up paperpropped up next to the lamp and she picked it up before collapsing on her back.

Tank rested his head on her chest, and shepetted him absentmindedly as she read the note from Gideon.

Grace,

I called the clinic this morning and letthem know you won’t be in today or tomorrow. Preacher is getting your sparecar key from Kira and will drop your car off at my place later this morning. Iasked Kira to look into grabbing some clothes and toiletries from your place.

Go back to sleep.

Gideon

A smile crossed her face. She read thenote again before setting it on the night table. She used the bathroom, let Tankout for a pee break, drank some water, and ate an apple before climbing thestairs to Gideon’s bedroom again. She climbed into bed, smiling at Tank whenhe stretched out in Gideon’s spot, pulled the quilt up to her chin, and wentback to sleep.

* * *

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