CHAPTER 95
JESS
A dull warmth surrounded me, and the feeling of something heavy draped across my abdomen made me stir. I blinked a few times, my mind sluggish, trying to make sense of the sensations.
My body felt oddly comfortable like I was cocooned in a safe embrace. Slowly, I lifted the covers, and my breath caught in my throat.
What the…
There was an arm–muscular, strong–wrapped around me. A warm body pressed close behind, the rise and fall of their chest syncing with mine.
Panic surged through me like a jolt of electricity, shocking me awake. I bolted upright, the sudden movement making my head spin.
“Shit,”
My legs tangled in the sheets, and I stumbled, crashing to the floor with a thud. My breath came in short, shallow gasps, my heart pounding like it was trying to break free from my chest.
I wanted to scream, but the sound stuck in my throat. My vision blurred, and I pressed my hands to the floor, trying to ground myself, trying to breathe. This was a nightmare. I’m dreaming, and I need to wake up.
CURTER OS
“Wake up, Jess. Wake up.” I said to myself.
Focus, Jess. Breathe.
But I couldn’t. The walls were closing in, the room spinning, and I was losing control. The edges of my vision darkened, and I bent over, struggling to fill my lungs with air.
Then, suddenly, someone dropped to the floor beside me. A soothing voice broke through the chaos, a hand brushing against my cheek.
“Jess, it’s okay. You’re okay,” the soft and steady voice said. I tried to focus, blinking rapidly to clear my vision. The hand on my cheek gently lifted my chin, and I stared into familiar eyes.
Luke.
My heart stopped hammering, just for a moment, as I took a shaky breath. Luke was here, with me. He pulled me into his lap and held me.
“I’m so sorry,” Luke murmured, his voice full of regret. “I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry. You’re okay. You’re fine,” he repeated, over and over, like a mantra.
His words washed over me, pulling me back to reality. It was Luke holding me, not Bryan, not anyone else, just Luke. The blood no longer pounded in my ears, and I could finally breathe again.
We sat there for what felt like forever, his arms holding me close, my heart gradually finding its rhythm. The panic ebbed away, replaced by an odd sense of security, a feeling I knew I shouldn’t have and one I haven’t had in a while since… well.
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But I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to. In his arms, I felt…safe.
Finally, Luke let go and helped me to my feet. He didn’t step back, though. Instead, he dropped down a little, his gaze locking onto mine, searching my face with an intensity that made me
shiver.
“Breathe, Jess. Just breathe,” he said softly, his voice full of concern. “I’m going to run you a shower, okay?”
I nodded, still trying to process what was happening. Luke was here… I was sitting in his lap, in nothing but a flimsy nightgown, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt.
The reality of the situation crashed into me, making my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I should move, cover myself, do something–anything–but I couldn’t. I just stood there, frozen, staring at Luke… all of him, every single inch.
Luke started to turn toward the bathroom when I finally found my voice. “What are you… How did you…?”
He stopped and turned back to me, taking my hand in his. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver down my spine as he pulled me closer, his eyes never leaving mine.
“You had a nightmare, and Josh couldn’t wake you. You called my name, Jess. And when I touched you, you calmed down and slept. But when I tried to leave, you started screaming again, so…I stayed,” Luke explained, his voice low, and it vibrated through me.
Why my body reacted to him like this was beyond me.
Shame washed over me. How pathetic was I? Luke felt sorry for
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me and came because Josh asked him to be. I wanted to pull away, to hide from the humiliation, but Luke’s hand on my chin stopped me.
“I stayed because I wanted to stay, Jess,” he said, like he was reading my mind and knew what was thinking. There was something in his eyes, something deep and intense, but I didn’t have the time or the energy to decipher it.
Luke turned and walked into the bathroom, and I stood there, rooted to the spot, trying to make sense of it all. The sound of water running filled the silence as Luke prepared the shower. When he emerged, he stopped in the doorway, crossing his arms over his chest. The movement made his muscles bulge, his hard lines and smooth planes starkly visible.
My cheeks burned hotter, and I averted my gaze, feeling a nervous flutter in my stomach.
Luke made me nervous as hell, and right now, I had no idea what to do with that.
