Chapter 9
Bennett
I notice Kassie slowly starts to lie down on the couch, and get comfortable. She’s trying not to stretch out too much, so that she doesn’t touch me.
When I think she’s just sleepy enough to not put up too much effort to fight me, I pull her feet into my lap, and stretch myself out a little more.
“Bennett.”
“It’s OK, Angel, just relax. I’ve got you.” I tell her, and she lets out this little sigh.
When the movie ends, I sit, not wanting to break the spell, but knowing I have to.
I could just rest my head back on the couch, and sleep here, but eventually we’re both going to wake up cold.
Gently, I lift up her feet, and slide myself out from under them, and off the couch, before gently placing her feet back down. She lets out this little sigh, and wiggles a little bit, but she settles back down quickly, and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
I make quick work out of clearing up our plates, and put everything in the dishwasher, then set it to wash. I clean down the benches, then turn off the lights, check everything is locked up tight, and head back to the couch.
Standing there watching her sleep, I'm trying to decide whether or not to pull a blanket over her, and leave her there, or to carry her back to her room.
I decide to let Kassie make the choice, I bend down, and touch her shoulder gently.
“Kass. Kass? It’s time to go to bed.”
“Mhmmm bed.” I can't help laughing quietly.
“Did you want to stay out here, or did you want to go to bed?”
“Mhmmm, bed,” she mumbles again, a smile on her beautiful face.
“I'm going to take you to bed then, OK?”
“OK, Bennett.”
I stand up, reach over to turn off the lamp that Kassie must have turned on earlier, and then I stand there. If she were to wake up now, I would look like a god damned creeper just standing here, looking at her in the moonlight.
This is it, time to carry her to bed.
I bend down, push my left arm under her neck and cradle her legs in my right arm, then stretch to standing.
“I'm flying,” she says in a quiet sigh, and I chuckle.
“Well, you are an Angel, Kassie, so it makes sense.”
I make my way through the house to her room, making sure to not hit her head, or her feet on walls, or doorways.
Luckily for me, she left her bedroom door open, and it’s just a matter of getting the right angles to fit through the door. Then, I place her down on the bed, pull back the covers, and take off her shoes. There is no way in hell I'm tempting myself by undressing her any further.
“Bennett McGuire?”
“Yes, Kassie Timms?” I reply with a smile.
“Would you stay with me tonight?” she's not even close to being awake, so the answer is no, but man how I wish I could.
“Not tonight, Angel, but maybe another night, OK?”
“OK.”
I pull up the covers, tucking her in tightly so that I’ll walk away from her invitation. When she buries herself into her bed, and rolls over, facing away from me, I know that she wasn't asking me. I don’t know what we’re doing in her dreams, but in reality, I'm leaving her to sleep.
I close her door behind me, then walk across the hallway, to my own room, quietly closing that door behind me too.
Deciding the best thing for me to do is to strip down to my boxers, jump in bed myself, and read the new book in a series I've been reading is the best course of action, it’s exactly what I do.
I must have fallen asleep mid-chapter, because when I wake up the next morning to sunshine blazing through the window, because I forgot to close the blinds, the book is lying next to my hand on the bed.
I roll over to check my phone for the first time, and see a message from Max.
He’ll be getting here a day later than expected.
I send him back a message letting him know that’s all good, and we’re doing just fine here.
I'm sure he’s sent Kassie a message to let her know as well, and I wonder if she’ll tell him the same thing, that we’re doing just fine here on our own.
It’s 8am, so I don’t bother with a shower, because I've got some more work to do outside. Instead, I pull on the same clothes I had on last night, only this morning I add some socks so that I can pull my boots back on when I leave the house.
I pull open my door, and see that Kassie’s is still closed. She must be still asleep.
I make my way into the kitchen, start up the makings for coffee, and tea. I even pull out the stuff for hot chocolate, because I'm not sure what Kassie likes first thing in the morning.
Then I gather ingredients for pancakes. I'm cooking off the last couple when I feel the energy in the kitchen shift, and I know Kassie’s here before I turn around.
“Good morning!” I say, hoping to sound non creepy.
“Good morning.” She sounds grumpy. I turn around slowly so that I see her face. “Did you carry me to bed last night?”
When I face her, I see that she's still in the same clothes she wore last night, and her hair is a mess.
“I did, yes. I asked if you wanted to stay on the couch, but you wanted your bed.”
“But, I couldn’t get up, could I?”
“I’m sure you could have, but you weren't making any moves to suggest that you were going to any time soon.” I smile, because honestly, I didn't mind one bit.
I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would do it for the rest of our lives if she wanted me to.