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“What are we reading?” Courtney asks.
Maddi picks up the book that she brought into bed with her.
“The Princess and the Pea. I love this book.” Courtney smiles before she starts to read. I lean against the doorjamb, crossing my arms over my chest and my feet at the ankles. I watch both girls and the dog read the book together. The girls are both smiling, and the dog is in a happy trance because the top of her head is being rubbed. I pull myself away and go into the kitchen to grab a beer, then settle on the couch. I expect Courtney to come out of the room soon, so I turn on the news and start to watch.
I must doze off, because when I wake up one of the late-night talk shows is on. When I see the clock and the time, my gut gets tight. I wonder if Courtney saw me asleep and left without saying anything, not wanting to disturb me. I scan the apartment and see her purse on one of the barstools and her shoes near the door. I get up off the couch and go to Maddi’s room. I stop in the doorway and lift my hand to my hair. Courtney and Maddi are snuggled together on Maddi’s twin bed, asleep. Merida is passed out between them.
I turn off Maddi’s bedside lamp and then scoop up a sleeping Courtney. She must be tired because she doesn’t even twitch as I carry her out of the room. I move her to my bed and tuck her in. Going back to Maddi’s room, I peek in and see that neither she nor Merida has moved. I leave them, turn off the TV and the lights, then go back to my bed. I get in with Courtney, pulling her against me. She mumbles something I can’t make out before she burrows closer to my body before relaxing. Lying in the dark with her in my arms, I breathe in the smell of her shampoo and soak in her warmth. Eventually I fall asleep.
“Oh my.”
I hear these whispered words, and my arms tighten instinctively as Courtney’s soft warm body, tucked against mine, attempts to get away.
“Lucas.”
“Go to sleep,” I grumble, not ready to wake up and feeling more content than I have in years. Without even opening my eyes, I know it’s way too early to get up.
“I . . . Are you awake?” she whispers.
“I don’t want to be,” I answer.
Her body gets stiff. “Maddi could wake up and see us.” She pushes against my chest, but I don’t loosen my hold.
“Maddi sleeps late. She always has. Even if she does wake up and come in here, we are both still dressed,” I point out. I think this fact should help her relax, but she doesn’t, not even a little. In fact, her body seems to get even tighter.
“How did I get in your bed?”
“I brought you in here,” I say. Then I mutter, “Now go back to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep.”
I hear the distress in her voice. “You can, or at least you could pretend since I’m comfortable.”
“I think I should get up and take Merida out. She might need it . . . ,” she tries.
“Merida is fine.” I give her a squeeze. “Now sleep.”
“I can’t sleep.”
“Try.”
“You’re being annoying.”
“Sleep,” I repeat, hearing her let out an annoyed or frustrated huff. I’m not sure which one.
“I can’t believe you’re holding me hostage in your bed.”
I smile at that, then slide my hand from her back and down to her ass, pulling her against me. “If you were really my hostage, you’d be naked and tied up.”
I feel her shiver as she breathes, “Holy cow.”
“Sleep.”
“Now I really won’t be able to sleep,” she grumbles. I chuckle. “Seriously.”
“Try anyway,” I command. She mutters something, trying to pull away one more time before giving up with another huff. I don’t know how long it takes her to fall back asleep, but she does. When she does, so do I.
“Yay, you slept over!”
As Maddi’s happy voice greets my sleep-addled brain, I feel the bed shift. I blink one eye open, then the other.
Courtney takes Maddi’s hand and leads her out of the room, talking to her quietly as they go. I roll to my back, then sit up, then stand. The girls are in the living room chatting quietly as I head for the bathroom, where I go through my morning routine. Once I’m done, I grab my sneakers from the bottom of my closet so I can put them on and take Merida for a quick walk. When I step out of the bedroom, I find Maddi putting on her shoes. She’s still wearing her PJs, and Courtney is slipping on her flats.
“I’ll take Merida out while you two figure out what we should do for breakfast,” I offer, to save them the trouble.
