[chapter fourteen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-)
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~Jeff's POV~
She gave me two minutes over two hours ago, and we're still talking.
And like…normal people. Not like people who fight all the time.
Weird.
Unfortunately, I think that's about to end since her eyes keep drifting shut.
She does look awfully tired.
Either that, or I bored her to sleep.
"Maddy?" I whisper kindly. "Why don't you go to bed. You're falling asleep."
"I'm not." She says, trying to hide a yawn.
"You are." I argue gently. "Go up to bed. Joan won't mind…take any room."
"No." She argues like a petulant child. "It's gonna be cold up there."
I snicker slightly and stand up, searching for a blanket or afghan I can throw over her. If she wants to sleep there, fine, but I better make her as warm as possible for when the fire dies down.
Grabbing a quilt off the couch, I tuck it over her tenderly, unable to resist brushing a piece of hair from her face.
I think in the last two hours, I've fallen in love.
Talk about fucking scary.
"Thanks." She murmurs, her voice heavy with sleep.
"You're welcome." I answer. "Do you…do you want me to stay here with you?"
Hello? Could I sound like a bigger tool?
"Yeah. Or you'll freeze to death." She mutters, shifting slightly to get more comfortable, tucking herself into the fetal position facing the fire. "That would suck."
I chuckle as I lay back down behind her, giving her full access to the slowing dying firelight. "Thanks for thinking so." I reply.
She doesn't answer me after a few seconds, so I know she's dropped off to sleep.
Inching slowly, I close the space between our bodies until I'm spooned behind her, but not touching her.
What the fuck am I doing?
This is what got me in trouble the last time.
Touching her.
Actually, it was the morning after when I didn't touch her that got me in trouble.
Well, I'm sure as hell not going anywhere this time.