Page 58 of Fight For Us
Wes’s back muscles roseand fell in a steady rhythm, which made the tattoo stretching from his shoulder to the middle of his back seem to move. Fitting that the ink swirled in a wave-like pattern. With each peaceful breath he took, I itched to trace my fingers along the lines.
No matter how tight I shut my eyes or how many times I rolled from side to side, sleep evaded me. It wasn’t abnormal for me to have problems sleeping. It was a lingering effect of PTSD, or so my doctors said. My body was heavy with exhaustion, so why couldn’t my mind get the memo?
Wes murmured in his sleep and I sat up to peer over at him. It was truly unfair how attractive he was. And sleep only softened his features. I flopped back down and faced the other direction with a huff. “Freaking bed,” I muttered.
“Why are you flopping around like a fish?” I startled from the break in the silence. The bed creaked as he rolled toward me.
“Shit, I’m sorry I woke you.”
“Come here.”
“What?”
“Nevermind,” he said, his voice extra gravelly from sleep. He scooted closer and wrapped his massive arm around me, pulling me against his chest.
“What are you—”
“I’m cuddling you, Tiger.” He slid his other hand under my pillow and tucked his chin above my head. Instead of relaxing into him, my body decided to become a wooden board.
“I don’t cuddle,” I said. Which wasn’t the whole truth. I’d cuddled Alex before, but that was obviously different.
“Then what do you call what we’re doing right now?”
“A human straightjacket?” He chuckled and his chest shook. “Is your plan to gorilla hug me to sleep?” I asked.
“If that’s what it takes.” I wiggled and adjusted my pillow, letting myself get used to the feel of his arm draped over my waist like a weighted blanket. His warmth sank into my skin, and after a few minutes I realized that my shoulders weren’t touching my ears. “You done squirming yet?”
“I think so.” Was I? Maybe. But being in Wes’s arms made me feel equal parts relaxed and hyperaware at the same time. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, so I laid them against my side.
“Good. Get some sleep.” He cleared his throat and whispered, “And maybe try not to grind your ass into me like that.”
“What? Oh God, sorry!” I started to scoot away but he held me steady. Another of his sleepy chuckles rumbled against my ear and he inched closer until my back was pinned flat against his torso. He stroked my arm with his long fingers, up and down, sending electric tingles in their path.
“Shh, relax, Tiger. I’m just playing with you.” I’d relax if my nipples weren’t aching pebbles. I closed my eyes and focused on the drag of his calloused fingertips along my sensitive skin. How it felt incredible when he touched me like that. I hadn’t been touched in so long. Behind my closed lids, I pictured him trailing lower, tracing the curve of my hip with his strong hands, dipping down to where I throbbed. Pressing into my wet heat. Could he feel my heart hammering against his chest? “Better now?”
“Mhm,” I lied. I’d never fall asleep this wound up.
“Goodnight, wife,” he whispered and tucked his hand under my arm.Wife.I didn’t think I’d ever get used to that.
I tripped over an action figure left on the living room floor and cursed under my breath. The worst part was that I couldn’t even scold Alex, since his cast made it difficult to clean up fallen Christmas toys.
“Where do you want these stockings?” Mia asked, holding our empty Christmas stockings.
“There’s a bin. Let me grab it.” I hustled into my bedroom closet and grabbed the red plastic bin I’d bought to store our new Christmas decor. “Why does it feel like there was so much less when I was putting it up?”
“No clue, but don’t worry, we’ll get it all down before Shawn and Wes get back with the truck.” Mia still sounded mopey. I’m pretty sure she was experiencing the stages of grief since I gave her the news that she’d missed my wedding. If only I could tell her that the whole thing was fake, but I couldn’t risk her telling my parents.
“I appreciate your help, sis.” I dropped a few plastic ornaments into the bin. “Between the Christmas exhaustion and taking care of Alex, I haven’t had a chance to get things ready for move in day.”
“I’m always here to help. When you let me,” she added under her breath. I sighed and went back to taking down the rest of our three foot mini-tree. I’d already apologized and given her gifts, there wasn’t much else I could do other than let time heal that wound.
“Are you sure Shawn didn’t mind helping today? He’s been a lifesaver, building the bunk bed and loading his truck. I’m so grateful.”
“It’s fine,” she said, avoiding my gaze.
“Okay, well, in case I don’t say it enough today, thank him again.” I grabbed the last ornament from the tree and picked it up along with the full bin. “I’m going to go put these in the storage shed on the side of the house. Be right back.”
“I can do it,” Mia said, taking everything from me. “Go ahead and finish in your room.”
