Page 93 of Forever By Morning

I clicked off the lamp.

“Stay.” Her voice was muffled and sleepy.

“Helena.”

“Stay with me. Everything is spinning and it doesn’t when you’re here.”

I shut my eyes. What the hell was I supposed to say to that? It was safer to leave. Not just because she was impaired, but because the urge to take care of her was taking root like that old tree downstairs. Deep and ingrained in the bedrock of this land.

That was me.

I was the old tree, strong and solitary.

Sure, I had my family. But there was a reason why I’d made sure none of my relationships could take root inside me. And what had I done? Taken her to my sanctuary on the first night with her.

Now she was here, asking me to stay. And I wanted it so damn much.

She reached out from the cool white sheets. “Stay.”

“I’ll stay for a while in the chair.”

“No.” She moved over from where she’d landed in the center of the bed. “Here.”

“I should really go.”

“Get in the bed, Beckett.”

I huffed out a laugh. Sweet and polite Helena had a mouth on her when there was alcohol involved. I toed off my boots and peeled out of my jeans, tossing them in the club chair across from the bed. Glad I’d showered before I rode over to talk to Laverne, I rounded the bed and sat on the edge.

Her eyes were slitted in the near dark as I looked back to make sure she was still awake. The light from the living room cast a shaft of light across the bottom of the bed.

“Just sleeping. No taking advantage of me.”

Helena hid a smile into her pillow. “I’ll try not to.”

I eased under the covers and sat against the padded headboard. I’d just stick around until she fell asleep. She wiggled next to me and laid her head against my stomach with a sigh.

I stroked down her braids lightly. “Still spinning?”

“A little.” She pushed at my shirt. “Off.”

I was just asking for trouble getting naked with this woman. She rolled over and pulled me with her until I really had no choice but to spoon around her. She tucked herself back against my front and I had to bite back a groan. Her silky skin and scraps of lace were going to put me into an early grave.

She drew my arm in front of her. My ribs pinched at the position, but I damn well wasn’t moving for anything.

“Thanks for saving me again.”

“I didn’t save you from anything.”

“You did,” she whispered. “I’m still mad at you for fighting with Kain.”

“Go to sleep, Helena.”

“Doesn’t make me less mad,” she mumbled.

“Be mad at me tomorrow.”

“I will.”

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