“I already told you,” he mumbles. “You’re on the other side of the wall. It’s easier to remind myself that you’re fine if I can keep saying that.”
Swallowing hard, I gaze down at him, because despite his words, this isn’t working.
“Get up,” I tell him. I can already feel the kink in his neck that he’s going to have tomorrow. “Come on.”
I can’t sleep without someone with me, would I be able to if that someone was Nacio? I have freaked out before due to not being able to see him, but the situation was different than this one.
This is all such a mess.
What if I throw down a pillow and a blanket on the floor by my bed? Would that help me, or would I have a hard time sleeping as he shifts in his sleep? God, would that be enough for him to convince his mind that I’m fine.
“Rachelle,” he groans as I poke my foot at him.
“No complaints, get up,” I tell him sharply.
Forcing himself to his feet, he starts moving to his room. Grabbing his hand, I shake my head, tugging at him.
“There are rules, and you’re going in the wrong direction, big guy,” I say, moving my head toward my room.
“Okay,” he drawls, his feet moving toward me. “What’s your plan, Little Mouse?”
Why do I not hate it when he calls me that?There must be something wrong with me.
“Just get in my room,” I sigh, walking him in.
“It’s dark as fuck in here,” he says, blinking as I flip the switch on the wall.
“Too bright,” he complains.
“Get in the bed so I can turn it off then,” I say, rolling my eyes.
They’re going to stay up there if I’m not careful.
“I’m going to keep my mouth shut and do as I’m told,” he mutters, almost to himself as he gets into the bed.
“That’s probably a first for you, huh?” I ask, wincing as I shut off the light.
I can still see light bombs flashing in my eyes from messing up my night vision, but I close the door to my room, deciding I won’t need it locked. I don’t know what’s gotten into me right now.
It’s late so I’m going to roll with it.
Walking slowly, I find the bed and climb up onto it. I can see the outline of Nacio’s body, and it’s a reminder of how masculine and big he is. That’s not something I should be thinking about right now, even if I can smell how amazing his scent is.
“What’s the deal here, Rachelle?” Nacio asks, yawning.
He probably hasn’t slept in days if what he said is true.
“I can’t sleep,” I say slowly. “It’s obvious you can’t sleep either, so maybe we can help each other.”
“And the rules?” he asks. If I could see him, I’m sure I’d be able to see how amused he is right now.
“This is crazy,” I mutter. “Lili told you that I have really specific triggers. Sometimes, I don’t even know what they’ll be until I’m in the middle of it and it feels like I’m drowning.”
“You’re not,” he says. His hand reaches out to squeeze mine as he takes a sharp breath. “You’re right here. What are your triggers?”
“Unwelcome male touches,” I say, swallowing hard. “Especially if I can’t see who it is.”
It actually helps right now that the lights are off to tell him things I would never tell a soul outside of Lili. Fuck, and Barrett. I hope someone sodomizes him with a rusty pole in jail.