Page 39 of The Artist
“Don’t flatter yourself.” Aubri rolled her eyes at him before looking to me, repeating her offer. “Do you want me to stay with her?”
Lifting the thermos to Belle’s lips again, I shook my head. “No, I promised Belle that I wouldn’t leave her.”
Indiana scratched his shoulder. “Do you mind if I go inside to eat then? I’m starving and I think Belle is through the worst.”
With a jut of my chin, I encouraged him to go inside with Aubri. He dressed and put on his boots. Before he left, Indiana took one of the blankets that Aubri had brought and wrapped it around Belle’s legs and feet.
Two minutes after they left, a small clicking sound told me that the drone had locked itself. I was alone with a half-naked woman whom I’d had fantasized about making love to and yet at the moment it was the furthest thing from my mind.
“Have another sip,” I urged her.
She indulged me and drank a bit more of the creamy soup before she shook her head and refused anymore. “You can have it. I’m full.”
After emptying the thermos, I put it aside and lay back down. Belle cuddled up to me like a trustful child seeking comfort and safety.
“Are you still cold?”
“Mhmm. Can I have some more of your body heat?”
“Yes. Take as much as you need. Do you want me to be in front or behind you?”
“Can I sleep on you?”
“Onme?”
“Yes, just until I fall asleep. The babies back home do it with me all the time. If I’m too heavy you can push me down.”
“Alright.” I rolled to my back and stayed quiet when Belle positioned herself on top of my body with her head on my shoulder and her legs on each side of my hips. She didn’t say a word but just closed her eyes and fell asleep like that, exhausted from her trauma.
Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the weight of her on top of me. My hand on her back played with her hair while I forced myself to remember every second of this glorious moment of her complete trust in me.
CHAPTER 11
Body Heat
Belle
My sleep was deep and dreamless, as if my body needed all its energy to heat me up and restore my body functions.
I registered vaguely that Mason dressed me and carried me inside the house, but it was dark then and lifting my eyelids had felt as hard as lifting the drone itself.
His comforting words that I shouldn’t worry about anything made me sleep until a desperate thirst woke me up.
It was dark in the room with nothing but a sliver of light coming from underneath the door. Trying to sit up, I felt weak and made a sound of frustration.
“Belle, are you alright?” I recognized Mason’s deep and slightly rusty voice before a lamp was turned on.
“I’m thirsty.”
“I placed water on the side table for you.” He nodded toward the glass and scratched his stubble with a yawn.
The glass felt heavy and my hands were shaking as I drank.
Without a word, Mason placed his hand on top of mine to steady the glass.
“Thank you.”
“Do you want more?” He took the glass and reached over me to put it back on the side table. His torso was still naked. Lifting the duvet and looking down I saw that I was wearing nothing but my panties.
