Chapter 5 #2
Atlee nodded again. He’d given it to her one day a few months ago, when they were working on the Pickleport Festival and volunteering on the same committee.
She stood in the middle of the room staring at the door for a full minute after he left, before forcing herself to unzip her suitcase and pull out a pair of flannel pajamas. She and Renee had bought matching ones, and she’d only worn them one night before she’d headed back to Fallport.
She took a fast hot shower, brushed her teeth, and got into her PJs.
Then she slipped under the covers of the king-size bed.
Atlee’s intention was to stay awake until Simon returned, to ask him if everything was all right back in Fallport, but almost the second her head hit the pillows, she was out.
Simon was ready to get back to Atlee’s side the second he shut the door behind him, but he wasn’t going to rush this. It was obvious when they arrived that she was nervous, and he hoped she wasn’t having second thoughts about going out with him.
He had no problem slowing things down though. Giving her the space she needed to get used to the idea of dating him. Because Simon had waited what felt like his entire life for a woman like Atlee.
Smart, sweet, gorgeous, and down-to-earth.
She was compassionate and had a service mentality, like he did.
She liked serving the residents of Fallport, cared about the men, women, and children she helped feed when they needed it.
Just as he did. Yes, part of being the police chief was confronting people when they broke the law, but a lot of what he did was answer questions, reassure people, and do whatever he could to keep everyone safe.
He loved being an officer, and every time he read or heard about a cop being discriminatory or using their authority against their constituents, it made him furious.
His job was to protect the people of his town…
against those who would do them harm, from the elements, from any threat, no matter where it came from.
He was a protector. Down to his bones. And many women he’d dated in the past couldn’t handle his devotion to his job. But Simon had a feeling Atlee would not only not care if he was called out in the middle of the night, she’d want to know if there was anything she could to do help.
Remembering her words about spicing things up had his cock twitching in his jeans.
Simon did his best to ignore it. Even though he’d planned on bringing her back here and making love to her all day and most of the night, it was obvious tonight wasn’t the time or place for him and Atlee to get intimately acquainted.
But he couldn’t deny he was looking forward to sleeping next to her for the first time.
He’d talked to Miguel for all of thirty seconds, and after being reassured that things were fine, was ordered by his deputy to get some sleep and not call again until the next day.
Then he went to the hotel’s restaurant and ordered two submarine sandwiches, which were prepared in just minutes.
He spent the rest of his time in the lobby, hanging out and doing his best not to obsessively stare at his watch, wondering if enough time had passed so he could go back upstairs and see Atlee again.
He refused to interrupt her while she showered and changed.
He didn’t want to do anything that might make her uncomfortable.
But staying in a separate room wasn’t an option.
Not only because the hotel was packed due to the storm…
but because he had a desperate need to be near her.
Simon was kind of afraid that maybe he’d dreamed everything that happened.
Or she’d change her mind about being with him.
Now that she’d agreed to go out with him, Simon felt like a kid in a candy store. He wanted it all, right this moment. But he’d force himself to slow down. To take things one day at a time. He just wanted to do that by her side.
Obviously today was out of the ordinary. When he escorted her back to Fallport, he’d have to drop her off at her place and leave her there. Alone. Which sucked. But he was a grown-ass man. He’d waited this long for her, he could wait a little longer.
Maybe.
Chuckling a little at his ridiculousness, Simon decided that enough time had passed for Atlee to make herself comfortable, so he grabbed the sandwiches the restaurant had packed up and made his way back up to the room.
He knocked softly on the door, announcing his return, then used his key card on the lock.
“Atlee?” he said softly.
There was no response.
So Simon pushed open the door and slowly walked inside. The bathroom door was open and there was a scent in the air that he would never forget as long as he lived.
It smelled like the toppings bar at a frozen yogurt shop.
Sweet.
Delicious.
Like Atlee herself.
He walked farther into the room and softly said her name again.
Then he stopped in his tracks and stared at the bed.
He’d found her.
She was lying on her side, facing the door, her eyes shut and her breaths deep. She was sound asleep.
But that wasn’t what made him clear his throat quietly and blink rapidly to try to keep the emotions he was feeling from overwhelming him.
She’d left the reading light on next to the other side of the bed.
Not only that, she’d actually turned down the covers for him.
And she wasn’t lying on the very edge of her side of the bed.
She wasn’t exactly in the middle, but it was more than obvious she wasn’t in the least bit concerned about him sharing the bed with her.
Simon couldn’t remember the last time anyone had taken care of him. True, it was just a light on and some covers turned down, but he was the one who usually went out of his way to look out for others. To make them more comfortable. To do what he could to help.
He swallowed hard and slowly put their bag of sandwiches on the desk.
Then he simply stared at Atlee for a long moment.
He loved how hard she was sleeping. The fact that she could let her guard down, knowing he was coming back to the room, made him feel ten feet tall.
Her trust in him increased the emotions he was feeling.
She humbled him. Made him want to be a better person.
The kind of man she deserved. Sure, he’d spent his life helping others, being a protector, but suddenly being this woman’s safe haven, the person she turned to when life got hard, was something he wanted more than he’d ever wanted anything.
Simon made a vow right then and there to never let her down. To be the man she could lean on. To make her life easier however he could. He’d lived almost half his life alone, and now that he’d found the person he wanted to be with, he wasn’t going to screw it up.
His job had always come first. Not any longer.
Atlee Carrington was now his reason for getting up each morning. He wanted to spoil her. Experience all live had to offer with her by his side. He had a feeling deep down she’d make every sacrifice he’d ever made before this worthwhile.
He wasn’t even upset that it had taken so long to find her.
He was at a point in his life where he would give a woman everything.
The things he’d learned along the way would serve him well in being a good partner.
If the events of today had happened a decade ago, he wouldn’t be in the situation he was right now.
He might not even have realized Atlee was his other half.
How long he stood there watching her sleep, Simon didn’t know.
But when he came to his senses and realized how much of a creeper he was being, and how uncomfortable Atlee would be if she woke up and found him gawking at her, he immediately turned away.
He put their sandwiches in the tiny fridge and picked up his go-bag.
It didn’t take him long in the bathroom to get ready for bed.
He took a quick shower, loving how the scent of whatever bodywash she used was still noticeable in the air.
He brushed his teeth, relieved himself, and put on a T-shirt.
He usually slept in nothing but boxers, but again, he didn’t want to do anything that would make the woman in the other room uncomfortable.
He regretted that he didn’t have sweatpants to put on, and could only hope seeing him in his boxers didn’t bother Atlee.
He made a mental note to keep some sweats in his go-bag from now on.
The curtains in the room were mostly closed, but a sliver of sunlight shone through. Simon went over to the other side of the bed and sat down on the mattress. He clicked off the reading light and, as if he’d done it a thousand times before, lay down and scooted over toward Atlee.
He wanted to put his arm around her, to cuddle her from behind. But her mental health came first. Always. She hadn’t consented to him touching her, so he’d lie as close to her as possible, filling his nostrils with that sweet smell of hers, and be more than content.
The last twenty-four hours had been quite eventful, and he was exhausted. But before Simon fell asleep, he took one last deep breath and closed his eyes.
He wanted this. Wanted to go to sleep next to Atlee for the rest of his life.
To listen to her deep breathing and revel in the knowledge that she was his…
just as he was hers. For the first time in his life, he wanted to belong to someone.
He might be a big bad police officer, but he had the same need to be wanted and loved as anyone else.
He just hoped that Atlee could look past his faults and see the man he was underneath. Loyal, kind, and utterly devoted to her well-being. Time would tell. For now, he needed some sleep. Later, when they both woke up, they would talk about what came next.