Page 17 of Losing Sleep
His voice was gruff when he spoke. “Apology accepted. Don’t worry, though—it takes a lot to offend me.”
Now was the perfect time to open up, to share with him about my mom’s accident and how it influenced my reactions to him and this trip. But I couldn’t do it, choosing to play it safe with my response. I owed him vulnerability and honesty but felt too raw to give it just now.
I squeezed his hand, trying to say more with the simple gesture than my words ever could.
“That’s an admirable quality. I wish I was that way.” Instead, I jumped to conclusions when rides were late and threw off my plans. Plans that, admittedly, I hadn’t bothered sharing with anyone else.
“I’ve decided we’re all just humans, doing our best to survive, trying to help as many people as we can along the way.” Grey’s deep voice carried with it a wisdom I envied.
“Wandering out there in the world and hoping we don’t get lost?” I quipped back, remembering the saying from his shirt.
“Exactly. Where did you learn to be so wise?” Humor laced Grey’s tone, and I felt it soothe something deep and jagged in me. Something I hadn’t realized had been aching from the moment I’d first snapped at Grey, setting us on an unintended path of animosity.
“Some nerd who likesThe Lord of the Ringstaught me a thing or two when he drove me up a canyon on an unexpected adventure.” I reached for my own sense of humor, needing to say something that would ease us back into familiar comfortable territory. I wasn’t ready for more vulnerability tonight. If I wasn’t careful, Grey would have me spilling all my secrets, including dark corners of self-doubt better left buried deep.
“Sounds like a smart guy. Think I’d like him?”
“I don’t know. He has a weird obsession with talking about fast food.”
Grey snorted a laugh, giving my hand a squeeze. I didn’t pull away. Instead, I lay there, holding Grey’s hand and listening to him breathe until exhaustion finally won out and silenced my swirling thoughts.
Chapter Eight
The next morning Iwoke early with a start, disoriented. I was surrounded by an avalanche of pillows, and a comforting weight rested across my stomach. It took a moment to remember I was in Hank and Dot’s spare room…sharing a bed with Grey.
I looked around, realizing we must have toppled the pillow wall sometime during the night. While a few pillows still separated me from Grey, they hadn’t been enough to stop his arm from settling on my waist.
While the sensation was new, it was also unexpectedly comforting knowing he was near. Unfortunately, biology and my worry about being seen without my makeup on meant I couldn’t enjoy the sensation for long.
Moving carefully, I rolled away from Grey and attempted to tiptoe into the bathroom. If I moved quickly, I could get readyfor the day before Grey saw the mess I was first thing in the morning. In the rush to get out of the room, I forgot about the mass of pillows we’d tossed on the floor. I stepped on a small, pink lacy pillow, losing my balance. I teetered for a moment before the pillow sent me toppling into the wall with a thud.
Grey jerked up, confused as he looked around the room. His beard and hair stuck up at odd angles, adding a layer of dishevelment that was oddly attractive. I stared at him for a moment, appreciating how his edges softened first thing in the morning, before I remembered my own bed head.
“Sorry!” I spun around and booked it to the bathroom, grabbing my bag from off the dresser, and slamming the door behind me. If my tripping into the wall hadn’t done the trick, that sound would definitely have fully woken him up. I deposited my bag on the floor and stood there for a moment, taking in my appearance in the mirror and processing what had just happened as my breathing slowed.
Hopefully, Grey was groggy and disoriented enough from being startled awake that he hadn’t noticed I resembled a wild animal first thing in the morning. I wasn’t talking about a cute, fuzzy chipmunk. I looked more like a deranged, electrocuted squirrel, with creases from my pillow covering my face and my hair forming an odd sort of halo around my head. Far from the put-together exterior I tried to present to the world. After all, if I looked like I had my life together, no one would guess at the tumult of nerves and self-doubt I was constantly battling.
Working quickly, I changed into a pair of black leggings and a green tank top, perfect for a quick yoga routine before spending the rest of the day in the car. I then scraped my hair back into a messy bun and applied my makeup, knowing I’d have to repeat the process after I exercised and showered.
I checked my appearance in the mirror one more time before stepping back into the cramped spare bedroom. Grey was exactly where I’d left him, though he looked a little more awake.
“How’d you sleep?” Grey yawned and stretched, the muscles in his arms and chest rippling and bunching as he moved.
I forced myself to look away, startled to discover just how attractive I found the sleepy man in my bed. “Fine. Good, actually,” I stuttered, trying to gather my thoughts. “You?”
“Like a rock. This bed may be monstrous, but if Hank and Dot’s kids don’t use it, I’m happy to. This mattress is amazing.” His voice had a slight rasp to it, like he was still clearing the sleep from his throat.
I nodded in agreement, trying not to dwell on how pleasant it had been waking up next to him in the very comfortable bed. “Do you think we could convince them to get rid of a few pillows?” I looked around at the carnage on the floor and bed, pillows and lace covering nearly every inch of carpet.
“I bet they wouldn’t notice if we just took one or two or fifty with us.”
I snorted a laugh. “What would you do with fifty lacy pillows?”
“Donate them to a good cause, like a retirement home for serial killers who also collect creepy dolls and clowns,” Grey said, his expression completely deadpan.
I shook my head at the absurdity, my lips tipping up into a smile. “Somehow, I think Dot would notice.”
“Fine. You look ready for the day. Got a hot date?” Grey quirked an eyebrow as he gestured to my workout attire. “Personally, I’m going to look as homeless as possible for the rest of this trip. I might even squeeze in a few more minutes of shut eye.”
