Page 59 of Free to Breathe
She sighs and relents. “Tonight, I’ll let you back in. I can’t guarantee tomorrow, but tonight…” Right before she face-plants into my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist.
After Corinna’s settled with her back to my front on the couch in her room, my mind wanders back to the nights she let me hold her like this, before I screwed us six different ways from Sunday. The lights entwined on the overhead beams cast a soft glow on her face. I can’t sleep. I don’t want to. Keene’s words are replaying in my mind.
How can the woman I’m holding in my arms be ready to give in? Somehow, I’ve got to find the scrappy fighter willing to do anything to survive, and encourage her to come out swinging.
* * *
I can tellby the light streaming through the window that it’s late. A quick glance at my watch shows it’s after ten. Most importantly, Corinna’s no longer in my arms.
Shit.
Sitting up, I toss the afghan we’d wrapped ourselves in aside and scrub my face roughly. Why didn’t she wake me? Getting to my feet, I stalk to the door to see if she’s still here when I hear her voice behind me. “Are you always this get-up-and-go in the mornings?”
One hand still on the doorknob, I turn my head and see Corinna standing in her bathroom door with a toothbrush still in its packet. “Catch.” She tosses it to me.
I cross the room in a few long strides. Corinna tips her head back to look at me. She looks good, like she got a full night’s sleep, but her smile is tentative. “Hmm, let me see.” I grab the toothbrush and grin. “Safety 1st Oral Care?”
Shrugging her own smile widens. “It was better than nothing. And morning breath sucks.”
“True,” I agree. I slide my arm around her waist. “Then again, I could have just used yours.”
Corinna scrunches her nose. “Eww. Seriously? You do remember what I was drinking last night.”
“Held it down like a champ too.”
“That’s because nothing can compare to the shit Phil used to try to make us practice on for learning how to give blow jobs.” Corinna’s hands come up and cover her mouth. “Crap, I wasn’t supposed to ever say anything.”
I sputter. “No freaking way.”
Eyes sparkling with mirth, she nods.
“Do I want to know how you learned how to kiss?”
She rolls her eyes. “I was a virgin when we met, Colby. I wasn’t a novice.”
A growl rumbles up from the center of my chest. “Corinna?”
Laughter fills her voice when she replies with “Yes?”
“Will you please let me by to clean up before I find out if you’re repulsed by morning breath or not?”
Just as I’m about to close the door, she says, “Colby?”
I lean with one arm against the jamb. “Yeah?”
She reaches up and touches one side of my cheek before kissing the other. “Thanks for the best sleep I’ve had since…well, you know how long it’s been.” Pulling away, she says, “I’ll be in the kitchen getting coffee.”
I can’t help but watch her walk out the door, and pray we’ve turned some kind of corner by my shutting my mouth for once and just listening.
* * *
I makemy way down to Corinna’s kitchen a little while later. Immediately, I’m assaulted by scents I’ve dreamed about: rich coffee, creamy caramel, and pancakes. “I’ve died. Somewhere I’m lying in the middle of a desert daydreaming again.” I moan, announcing my presence.
She shakes her head, but I can’t help but catch the smile flitting about her lips.
“You think I’m kidding, but if you saw what I had to eat on a regular basis, you wouldn’t think I was kidding.”
“Saw it? Keene made us try an MRE. I don’t know how y’all don’t come home and start gorging on food as fast as possible to make up for the punishment of what the Army feeds you.”
