Unraveling (23 page)

I shook my head. “I don’t want to be weak.”

“Tears are
not
a sign of weakness,” Jared said, vehemently. “Tears show compassion, they show,” he pointed to my chest, “that you have a heart. Tears are powerful,” he caught one off of the edge of my cheek.

“Are you sure you’re an MMA fighter and not a literature student?” I asked with a chuckle, wiping my face with the back of my hands.

“I’m sure,” he said, catching a tear I had missed.

I flinched. “Sorry,” I mumbled, “I think I’ve reached my touching quota for the day.”

Jared pulled his hand away with a sad smile. “That’s okay, we’ll take this a day at a time because that’s what you do when you love someone.”

He stood up and stretched, starting towards the door.

“Where are you going?” I sat up a little straighter.

“To sleep on the couch,” he said, his hand on the knob.

“I don’t want you to go.” I hated the pleading tone in my voice, so I took a breath to explain. “Maybe… if you’re here,” I swirled my finger over his comforter in random circles, “I won’t have the nightmares. Maybe, you’ll
keep them away.”

“Kitten, there isn’t anything I’d rather d
o, than keep you from having that nightmare,” his look was sweet. “Do you want to change?” He looked me up and down.

“Huh?” I looked down at myself. “Oh –uh- yeah. Pajamas might be more comfortable than this,” I pulled at my jeans.

He chuckled. “I’m going to go get a bottle of water while you change. I’ll bring you one, too,” he said, disappearing out the door. It closed softly behind him and I scurried off the bed.

I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a
cami, so that I wouldn’t have to pull anything over my cast. I glared down at the clunky blue thing, willing it away. It really was quite a nuisance.

A light knock on the door sounded and I shook a little.

I had never slept with a guy before and after what happened with Preston, I hadn’t wanted to. It was difficult to try and get over that.

“I’m decent,” I squeaked.

I heard Jared chuckle and then the door opened.

His eyes zeroed in on my barely covered chest and Goosebumps broke out across my skin. I rubbed my arms and tried to hide my cleavage.

Jared shook his head, pink staining his cheeks and turned his back to me.

He pulled his shirt off, but kept his mesh shorts on. I wondered when he’d changed into them.

He pulled the covers of the bed back and climbed in.

I stood there, staring, like an idiot.

Jared chuckled again. “Katy, if you’re going to sleep, you kind of have to get in the bed.”

“I think this was a bad idea,” I whispered.

He sat up. “I can leave. You say the word and I’m gone. I will
never
push myself on you, Katy.
You
can set the pace. Do you understand? You’re in control of us. I’ll never do something that you’re uncomfortable with. All we’ll do is sleep, but if you’re uncomfortable with that, I’ll leave.”

“No, no,” I shook my head. “I know you won’t hurt me. This is okay.” I moved to the other side of the bed.

I lay down and Jared pulled the covers up to my chin. They were cool against my skin and I shivered.

“Katy?” Jared questioned. “Are you okay?”

“I think so,” my voice quivered.

“I don’t want to do anything that will send you running,” he whispered.

“I’m done running,” I said, seriously. “Besides, my legs are tired,” I joked.

Jared chuckled
and the bed shook with the motion, which sent me giggling.

“Stop laughing, we’re never going to go to sleep,” his voice rumbled.

“I’m trying,” another giggle escaped.

After a few minutes, all was quiet, so I assumed Jared had fallen asleep
. When he spoke, it nearly sent me flying through the roof in fright.

“Katy, I’ve noticed something,” he said.

I put a hand to my chest to still my beating heart. “What?” I asked, breathlessly. Darn him for scaring me like that.

“You… you let me touch you… a little, but you haven’t touched me.”

“Huh?” I rolled over onto my side to face him and he did the same.

“In the hospital, you let me touch you but you never touched me back, even in the club, I was the one th
at reached for you, and earlier, I was doing all the touching.”

I swallowed. “You’re way too observant to be a man.”

He chuckled. “Trust me, I’m a man.”

“I’ll trust you, ‘cause
I’m not about to go exploring,” I said with a smile.

He laughed
, but then got serious again. “Seriously, Katy, why won’t you touch me?”

I shrugged. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Would you like to touch me?” those soulful brown eyes threatened to engulf me.

“I- I- don’t know,” I stuttered.

He pushed the blankets back, exposing his smooth, naked chest.

Oh sweet baby Jesus, no man should ever be that ripped. His body was a complete work o
f art and even
I
couldn’t help drooling over it.

“It’s okay, Katy,” he said, soothingly. “Remember
you’re
in control of this. I won’t move and I won’t touch you. This is just
you
touching
me
. Okay?”

I nodded and sat up, pushing my hair back, over my shoulders so that it would hopefully stay out of the way.

“You’re in control,” he reminded me.

I nodded
.

Slowly, I reached out, touching his arm.

He shivered when I touched him and a smile curved my lips.

His skin was hot, making my hands seem cold, and looked dark next to my lighter tone.

I traced the freckles on his arm, the veins, and then went down to his hands. They were large; the nails round and even, his skin was smooth. Gosh, even his
hands
were perfect.

My fingers glided back up, to his shoulders, his collarbone, up his neck, and settled on his stubbled chin.

His eyes closed and low moan escaped his throat. I snatched my hand away.

“Don’t stop,” his eyes opened, they were a light brown, almost caramel. “It feels good.”

I reached out again, even more hesitant than the first time.

My index finger connected with his full, bottom lip. He was very still, his breathing the only movement.

I traced the downward curve of his bottom lip, before moving to the top and giving it the same treatment.

My finger glided down his lips and settled on the indent in his chin. I longed to kiss that dimple, but I knew it was too soon, I wasn’t ready. I let my finger drop from his angular chin, down to his chest, where it glided over the dips and ridges of his stomach. I refused to go any lower than his belly button. That was uncharted territory I wasn’t about to go exploring in.

I let my fingers fall from his stomach and found that I was breathing like someone that had just run a marathon. Not attractive at all, but that was the affect Jared had on me.

Jared shivered at the absence of my touch and turned to look at me.

“I never knew
that just letting someone touch me, or touching them, could feel so damn good, without doing anything else,” his voice was husky.

“There was a lot I didn’t know before I met you,” I reached over, unable to resist rubbing the dark stubble on his chin, one last time.

“I’m more than happy to teach you,” he placed a light, barely-there, kiss on the palm of my hand. At my shocked expression, he grinned. “Slowly, Katy. We’ll take things slowly.”

~***~

An incessant ringing woke me up.

I cracked my eyes open and saw Jared doing the same. “Is that your phone?” he asked, his voice groggy.

“Oh, crap,” I said, practically falling out of the bed in my haste. My ribs groaned in protest and I winced.

“Where is it?” Jared asked, yawning. “I can get it for you.”

“No, no, I’ve already got it,” I pulled it out of my purse. It had stopped ringing now and I saw that I had about fifty text messages from Rollo and the one missed call. Before I could hit the call back button, it was ringing again.

“Hey?” I answered.

“Katyrina Grace Spencer, I’ve been worried sick. Piper told me you were in the hospital! A car accident! Katy! Why didn’t you tell me? I’m on my way to your house now, screw classes, you have some explaining to do,” I could hear him huffing over the phone, probably trying to hoof it to the bus station.

“Rollo, I’m sorry,” I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling like the worst best friend
ever.
“I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“You
weren’t
thinking, Katyrina,” he snapped.

“Please, stop calling me that, you know I hate it,” I said softly. The only people that called me Katyrina were my mom and Preston. I’d be happy if no one ever called me that again. After ‘the event’ with Preston, my full name grated on my nerves, like nails on a chalkboard.

“I’m sorry, baby cakes,” he said, and I could tell he was calming down. “I’m just worried sick about you. Piper
just
called and told me and obviously she already knew. She was checking in on you, assuming that I would be with you. Instead, I was completely clueless and sounded like an idiot. What happened?”

“I hit a deer and ended up in the other lane whe
re another car crashed into me,” I explained, running my fingers through my bed-rumpled hair.

He gasped dramatically. “You
killed
Bambi’s mom! How dare you, Katy!”

Instead of being sympathetic, in typical Rollo fashion, he had to make a joke, but at least I knew
he wasn’t mad anymore.

“Seeing as Bambi’s mom was
animated, I doubt I killed her,” I deadpanned.

“Still,” he said
and I could just picture him shrugging. “Anyway, I should be at your condo in twenty minutes. Is there anything I should bring you? I can walk to a drugstore if you need me to.”

“Rollo, I’m not home,” I mumbled.

“What? Are you still at the hospital?” He shrieked.

“
Nooooo,” I drew out the word.

“Then where are you?” He gasped, “You’re not with
that wench of a mother you have, are you?”

“No,” I said, still reluctant to tell him.

“Where the hell are you, Katy? Stop being evasive,” he groaned.

“I’m with Jared,” I squeaked. Something crashed on the other end of the line. “Rollo? Rollo? Can you hear me? Rollo?”

A few, muffled, seconds later, Rollo said, “I think I need to get my ears checked. You did not just say what I think you did.”

“Y
es, I did,” I mumbled, blushing and desperately wishing Jared wasn’t right behind me, hearing everything.

Another crash
and then, “Damn it, Katy, you owe me a new phone. You keep making me drop mine with all these shocking things coming out of your mouth. It’s all scratched up now.”

“I’ll add it to your Christmas list,” I laughed.

“So, explain to me how you ended up at Jared’s house? His
house
, Katy!” Rollo squealed.

“Oh –um-” I stammered.

“He’s right there with you, isn’t he?” Rollo asked.

“Yep,” I said.

“Okay, I’ll let you go then,
but
I expect a full explanation when you get home. When
will
you get home?” He asked.

“Um… at least a week from now,” I twisted a strand of hair around my index finger.

Rollo sputtered. “I must have woken up in some parallel universe, because I do not know the person I’m talking to.”

“Hey,” Jared said, behind me.

“Hang on,” I told Rollo, pressing the phone to my shoulder. “Yeah?” I couldn’t help getting a last peek at Jared’s chest as he pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head. At least his beautiful arms were still exposed to my viewing pleasure.

“Would
you want Rollo to come over for dinner?” Jared asked me.

“Yes!” I responded immediately, a smile lighting my face. My enthusiasm dampening, I said
, “But he doesn’t have a car.”

“We’ll go out then, and pick him up. Ask him if five o’ clock is good?”
Jared said.

“Rollo?” I asked, thinking he might have hung up.

“Yeeeees, baby cakes?” he chortled.

“Jared wants to know if you’d like to go out to
dinner, you, me, him and Karlie around five?” I asked.

“You got me all excited for nothing! I thought hot bod was asking me out on a date!
Seriously though, that would be great. I miss you and I need to look you over with my own two eyes to make sure you’re okay,” Rollo said.