Page 57 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
Okay. He’d wait until he was sure he wouldn’t wake her, and then he’d get up. Until then he’d just have to figure out how not to fall asleep, too. Because waking up in a cold sweat beside Julie couldn’t happen.
Chapter 16
Julie jerked awake, suffocating under the tight squeeze of…Lawson?
She struggled to look at the shadow of a man spooning her in the dark, his grip steadily tightening like a vise. Wiggling around she tried, and failed, to free herself. “Lawson?” she whispered loudly.
His breathing was heavy and…
Is that sweat?
She wiggled harder. “Lawson?” she said, not wanting to startle him out of his slumber too abruptly. But if he didn’t wake up fast, she might not have the breath to wake him. “Wake up. You’re having a bad dream.” At least she guessed it was bad because this didn’t feel like a hug. More like a person holding on for his life. “Lawson. You’re okay. Wake up!” she said, raising her voice and jerking her body harder. She squeaked as his grip tightened even further, pinning her arms at her sides. She kicked her legs, bucking against him. And,oh, no. She really needed to pee. “Lawson!” she said louder, not caring about being gentle anymore. “Wake up!”
“No!” His arms flung open as his body jerked upright, nearly knocking her out of bed and onto the cold, hard floor.
She screamed, rolling away from him and filling her chest with air.
The sun was just starting to peek softly through the window, casting enough light that she could see the sweat trailing down his bare back. He scrubbed his hands over his face, as if washing the sleep off him, and then looked around. She guessed he was realizing where he was.
“Hi,” she said quietly, pulling the white sheet over her breasts as she sat up. Not that he hadn’t seen all of her last night. “You fell asleep at my place.”
He turned to look at her. She was breathing much easier now that his python squeeze had stopped.
“That was some dream you were having.”
“I’m sorry.” He shook his head and stood, collecting his shirt and jeans off the ground as if he were late for something. She hadn’t even seen him look at his watch to see what time it was.
“Don’t be sorry. What were you dreaming about?”
“Nothing,” he said, buttoning his jeans and avoiding her gaze.
“You know, you can talk to me if you want. I’m a good—”
“Listener. Yeah, I know.”
Fully dressed, he faced her, a dull look in his eyes instead of the sparkle she’d seen last night when they’d been together. Or the glazed look of a man undone after they’d made love.
“I don’t want to talk. Look, I shouldn’t have fallen asleep here. I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s okay.”
He gestured behind him. “I have to go home and shower before heading to Beth’s to tend to the horses.”
“Okay. Well, I’ll get dressed and come with you.” She draped her legs over the side of the bed, reaching for her own clothing.
“No. You stay and rest. We were a little active last night.” He was teasing her, but he didn’t smile. She recognized exactly what he was doing—pushing her away. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
“You don’t have to be embarrassed, Lawson. It was just a nightmare.”
His gaze narrowed. “I’m not embarrassed. I just need space.”
She straightened at the sharpness in his voice. “Okay. Sure.”
Then without another word, or a kiss, he left her lying there, naked and alone. Her chest shuddered as she took another breath.What just happened?
—
“He just left you lying there?” Kat asked on the phone later that day, as Julie recounted what had happened.
