Page 72 of Deserving Lara
But Lara wouldn’t be soothed. “No! If you’re sleeping in the car, we’reallsleeping in the car. I won’t be able to get a wink of rest if I know you’re out there alone and I’m in a comfortable bed. If you’re uneasy about being a third wheel, don’t. And I can sleep on the couch so you’re rested for tomorrow. I’m assuming our room has one, but if not, I can sleep on the floor.”
“We have a room with two queen beds, Lara. And even if we didn’t, you’re not sleeping on the damn floor,” Owl said with a scowl.
“I am if it keeps Stone out of the car!” Lara almost screeched. Her voice was too loud, but with her panic steadily rising since they’d left the airport, she was on the verge of having a breakdown.
“All right. I’ll stay in the room,” Stone told her quietly.
“Seriously! I don’t understand why you’d do that. I shouldn’t have come. You wouldn’t have eventhoughtabout sleeping in the car if I wasn’t here!” Lara had worked herself into a state and couldn’t seem to snap out of it. “You guys are best friends! You’ve been to hell and back and now you don’t even want to sleep in the same room as us? I don’t want to come between your friendship!”
Stone leaned in and gently cupped Lara’s face in his hands—and she abruptly stopped spiraling. “I was trying to be polite,” he said, softly yet firmly.
“Well…stop it,” Lara grumbled.
His lips twitched. “Okay.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
“You good?”
“I don’t know. Are you really going to sleep in the room with us?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m good,” Lara decided.
Stone held her for a moment longer, then pulled her forward and kissed her forehead before letting go and turning to Owl. “She’s kind of a firecracker. I wouldn’t have guessed.”
Owl’s hand went to the back of her neck and squeezed gently. “For the record, if she didn’t set you straight, I would’ve. What the hell were you thinking, Stone?”
“I was thinking that you guys needed your rest. And you know how bad my nightmares can get. Don’t want to wake you up in the middle of the night because I know it’s impossible for you to get back to sleep once you’re up.”
“Not anymore,” Owl informed his friend.
“What? Seriously?”
“Seriously. Apparently, holding Lara is the cure for my insomnia.”
“Wow. That’s awesome.”
“It is. And fuck you for thinking I’d give a shit about you waking me up. And for not telling me you’re still having those damn nightmares.”
Stone shrugged and stood. “They aren’t anything new. They come and go. I just didn’t want to bother you guys if they happened while we were traveling.”
Owl stood, and Lara did the same, wrapping her arm around him, wanting to stay close to his side but feeling bad for Stone at the same time.
“Well, if they do, it’s fine,” Owl said firmly.
“Don’t let her get near me if I have one,” Stone warned.
“I won’t,” Owl told his friend.
“Wait a minute,” Lara complained. “If you think I’m gonna sit and watch when he’s suffering from a nightmare, you’re wrong.”
“Trust me, sweetheart. I’ve got this. I know how to deal with them. And Stone’s right. You can’t get near him if he’s having a nightmare.”
“I get…violent,” Stone explained as he pushed the button for the elevator. “I’d hate myself if I hurt you.”
Lara’s heart ached for him. “I understand. I’ll let Owl help you then. But…after you’re awake, don’t be surprised if I mother you.”
