Surfacing the Rim (Piercing The Fold)
Page 28
I nod slowly, letting it sink in how much Xander had done to make sure I was safe and comfortable. I pull him into me and hug him hard. I whisper into his ear, “Thank you, Xander, for everything.”
Xander’s arms encircle my waist and my knees go weak from this simple touch. I pull back slowly from Xander, needing to give myself some space to focus on something other than my feelings for him. I needed to lighten the mood quickly. “So, do I have a clean change of clothes I can put on or do I have to walk around in this piece of gauze?”
Xander scoffs softly, pulls back from my embrace, and walks over to a chest of drawers in the corner of the room. He rests his hand on the dresser and pats it softly. “It’s not much, but it’s clean.”
I’m a little curious about who picked out the wardrobe.
On cue, Xander says, “Nick threatened to blow the door off the hinges if I didn’t open up after being hulled up in here with you the first night. After that, I loosened up, a little bit.” Xander turns to me and winks playfully.
Wait, I had my block up. How did he slip through? I smile hoping that I can hide the concern on my face for his reading my thoughts psychically. It could have easily been a good guess. I need to have some space. My block was obviously not being reliable. “Well, I need to dress. I will be out in a bit to go with you to talk with the others.”
Xander nods and walks toward the door. His hand lingers on the doorknob and I sense that he is leery of leaving my side.
I walk to the dresser and open the top drawer. “It’s alright, Xander. I’ll be okay.”
Eying Xander, he looks at me with disbelieving eyes and reluctantly opens the door. “I’ll be close if you need me.”
I nod quickly as I rummage through the clothing, trying to appear busy. When the door shuts, I pause and blow my lower lip out. Grabbing unmentionables, black pants and a grey tank top, I walk back to the bed and toss them down and flop down on the bed. I look beyond the clothes at the bed and think of Nate being here only moments ago in my dream. I close my eyes and recall the words Nate said to me. “No nightmares”.
Leave it to Nate to make reference of the nights he would comfort me in Florida after my vivid nightmares. When Nate joined our team in Florida, he would crawl into bed and lay with me, nothing more. I touch the linens of the bed and a wave of goose bumps starting at my neck and move down over my body just remembering how it became a habit of ours for us to wake in the early morning spooning. I touch my lips, remembering the kisses and soft touches we shared as the sleepovers became more frequent, addictive even. Ugh! I can’t be thinking about this, him, right now. I plop down on the edge of the bed. Nate and I are just a manufactured connection from the Copula, that is all. Xander and I...well, we are new and trying to figure out what we are.
I pull off the gauzy nightgown, yank my clothes on roughly, stalk to the door, and pull it open not expecting to see Xander leaning against the wall opposite my door. I step back and try and compose the madwoman look I probably possess right now. His eyebrows raise curiously as he looks me up and down. “You okay?”
Definitely looking like a mad woman. I roll my eyes, turn away from him, and shut the door behind me. I quickly finger my hair into a ponytail and say, “Yeah. I’m fine.” Xander watches me a moment longer. Being self-conscious of his knowing stare, I smirk, “What?”
Xander looks down, pushes off the wall, and starts walking down the hall without saying another word.
I’m glad he doesn’t interrogate me any further about my frustration, but a part of me worries he already knew what is bothering me: him and Nate. I jog to catch up to Xander’s fast pace and try to cover my tracks. “Hey, I’m sorry I was so short back there.”
Xander clenches his jaw and looks at me out of the corner of his eye as he keeps his fast pace. “It’s alright. We both have a lot on our minds right now.”
“Yeah, obviously.”