Chapter 61
Lydia
I woke up lying beside Daniel in bed. My heart pounded in my ears. I didn’t remember going to bed. I remembered pacing the living room, talking to Kernel, and then…
Daniel kissed me.
He kissed me like I was his lifeline. I touched my lips with my fingers, a ghost of the sensation still there. I was still wearing my pajamas, and Daniel was lying next to me in nothing but boxers. I pushed the covers off of me completely, wanting to feel the cold air on my skin, and sat up.
Why can’t I remember what happened?
I felt a warm hand on the bottom of my back, under my shirt.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Daniel’s voice made me jump.
“Daniel… did we—”
He cut me off with a groan as he sat up beside me. “If you think I’m gonna fuck you for the first time while you’re having a panic attack, consider me officially offended.”
My breathing slowed down. I wasn’t really worried about that—it was the thought of not remembering, of being that much out of control that scared the shit out of me.
“What happened? I don’t remember going to bed.”
Daniel wrapped both hands around me and pulled me down on top of him, facing him. “You talked to Kernel and then started to freak out. I don’t know what went through that head of yours, but everything is going to be okay. I promise.”
“But what happened?” My voice was a hoarse whisper. I focused on Daniel’s chest rising and falling, and put my head down on his chest. It felt good to hear his heartbeat, slow and steady.
“I panicked, too, I guess. I kissed you.”
“I remember that.” I closed my eyes and smiled. “It was nice.”
He chuckled. “Really? You passed out.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I really was. That kiss felt like Daniel was taking away everything bad that had ever happened in my life.
His hand snaked up my shirt to the back of my neck, exposing my back to the cold air in the room. He pulled the covers on top of both of us and moved his hand up and down my neck, pushing his fingers in the perfect spots.
“Don’t apologize. Try to sleep?”
A soft hum escaped me. I focused on the feeling of his hand on me, his heartbeat beneath me, his warmth around me, and his genuine care for me as I drifted back to sleep.
* * *
My eyes felt heavy and my throat was dry. I pushed myself off the bed, practically rolling onto the floor. The room was dark. I was alone.
I opened the door and winced at the bright sunlight that hit my face. The smell of coffee and something sweet made me salivate.
Daniel was in the living room, wearing boxers and reading something on his laptop.
“Hey,” I said, shuffling my feet toward him.
He shot up and hugged me, wrapping me in warmth and the smell of his body wash, which made me realize I needed a shower and could smell my own breath.
“I’m gonna make you coffee,” Daniel announced, seemingly unaware of my messy, smelly, and groggy state. Or maybe he was hoping the coffee would magically fix it.
He started dragging me with him to the kitchen, but I pulled back. “I’m gonna shower first.”
Daniel held me in place with one hand on my shoulder. He pushed my chin up with the other, forcing me to look at him. I was still partially squinting from all the light.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I promise. I just need to wash last night off me and not kill you with my dragon breath.”
He leaned in and gave me a peck on my very tightly sealed lips. “Sounds like a warrior's death.”
I’d have scoffed in his face, but I was serious about needing to brush my teeth. I shook my head and shuffled my feet to his shower to scrub every inch of myself until I couldn’t think about anything except how raw my skin felt.
When I walked out, I felt like I could breathe again. I heard the coffee machine start as soon as I stepped out of his bedroom, and smiled. It was nice having someone look after me.