It was almost like she pulled a switch, and, moments later, she was out. He sat up, grabbed the same towel, and realized it was too wet to do the job. He headed to the bathroom, searching for a drier one, and ended up pulling out one of the beach towels that was drier than hers.
Once he was dry, he quickly dressed in boxers and wandered around the apartment. He wasn’t ready to sleep just yet. But neither did he have his laptop with him, though he did havehis cell phone. He sat for a little bit, checking out things on the internet, checking his email. Then he figured he should probably clean up the picnic basket, and he quickly washed up all the dishes.
With the kitchen spick-and-span, he headed back to the bedroom, only to find her tossing and turning, caught up in a nightmare. He raced to her side and tried to wake her up.
She cried out, “No, no, don’t.” Then the part that hurt him the most was when she cried out, “Timmy, please don’t go.”
And, with that, he gathered her up in his arms, still asleep, and crawled back into bed with her. “It’s all right,” he whispered against her hair. “I’m here. It’s okay.”
Almost instantly her shivers calmed down, and she slid into a deep sleep. He held her for the longest time, before falling asleep himself.
*
Thursday Morning
When he wokethe next morning, he was alone. He stayed here, feeling hurt inside. He knew that she had to get up to head off on her own to go to work. As he checked his phone, he winced because it was damn late. He was normally out between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m., yet it was already one-quarter to eight. How the hell had he fallen asleep so deeply that he hadn’t even heard her getting up and leaving?
He got out of bed, headed for the shower, and then dressed. With a last look around the place, he headed down to his car. Once there, he made his way back to the penthouse.
Harry looked up and grinned at him. “Rough night?”
“It wouldn’t be so bad if she’d just come here,” Simon admitted, “but staying at her place is never quite the same.”
“You’d think she’d be happy to move in with you.”
“Well, I’m not sure we’ve gotten that far yet,” he noted, “but I can’t say that I’d be against it.”
“She won’t do it if you don’t push it. That one is particularly independent.”
He smiled. “That she is. And I have to admit that I actually really love that part about her.”
“I disagree on your earlier comment,” Harry stated. “I’ve seen the two of you together. If you aren’t there yet, you’re damn close to being all the way in love with her. You’ll just have to make sure that she’s in love with you.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Simon shook his head. “It shouldn’t be that hard but somehow…”
“I’ve seen them fall all over you for the last few years. Maybe it’s a good thing that this one’s a little more hesitant.”
“A good thing how?” he protested. “How on earth do you see that as a positive?”
“Makes you work for it a little bit more.”
He rolled his eyes at that. “I could do with a little less work in that department.”
Harry burst out laughing. And, for Simon’s part, at least he was finally smiling again.
Chapter 11
Ever since thephone call came, and Kate had crept out of her bedroom, she’d wished that she could have woken up slowly in Simon’s arms. Just something about the two of them together that made her feel like she was home. But she didn’t tell him about it. They were a long way from that level of a relationship—weren’t they?
She walked into the hospital and looked over at Rodney. “What’s going on?”
“One of the husbands tried to commit suicide.”
“Oh no. Which one?”
“The one with the kids. Agnew.”
She winced at that. “That really sucks. Who’ll look after the kids if he’s gone?”