Page 73 of The Ice Prince's Fated Mate
That was unacceptable. I was already going to be in a ton of trouble when she woke up. I could handle that. I would accept her anger at finding me in her bedroom, if it meant sparing her from the nightmare. But if I started spooning her, I might lose her just as we were beginning to find one another.
There had to be another option because letting her suffer was out of the question as well. Somehow, I had to keep touching her, without more of my body entering into her personal space.
I scanned the room, looking for options. There wasn’t much of use. There was a chair and daybed. Several tables. The door to the bathroom. Her big wardrobe, full of clothing I’d had sent to her, and little else.
What was I going to do?
My eyes settled on the wardrobe once more, deep in thought, as a ridiculous idea came to me.
There is no way this will work …
Thirty-Four
Ella
I opened myeyes as wakefulness came, a smile on my face.
That’s weird.
I yawned, not truly ready to get up yet. I was too content, too rested. Apparently I had finally slept without a nightmare.
Maybe I just needed to fool around with Dirk every night before bed and I would sleep easy.
Smiling in not-so-secret enjoyment of the memories, I yawned once more and stretched.
Only my right hand came up. The left stayed where it was. Something was holding it in place.
Blinking fully awake, I realized it wasn’t something. It was someone. My fingers were threaded through someone’s hand, and they were holding fast.
I tugged hard.
Something stirred, and then Dirk’s head popped into view. And popping was the only way to describe it because he was completely hidden behind a wall of pillows and blankets.
“Dirk,” I said, keeping my calm as best I could, my hand still in his, despite my efforts. “Would you kindly explain what the heck is going on here, and why you’re in my bed?”
His eyes popped open, bright blue and alert.
“Uh,” he stammered, dropping my hand and leaping from bed.
He was still in clothes, I noted. A uniform, in fact, of the guard. He hadn’t been wearing that when he left. What was going on?
“I’m sorry.” He shook himself, backing to the door. “I meant to get up and leave before you rose.”
I sat up, clutching the sheets to me. “Why were you in here at all?” I questioned, clothing and pillows from the makeshift barrier falling away.
Dirk ran a hand over his head, tugging his hair back out of his face. “Well, you were having a nightmare, and I was standing guard outside …”
Standing guard? I knew he wasn’t on duty. He’d said as much the night before. Had he taken over?
To protect me?
“You started crying out in your sleep,” Dirk explained. “I couldn’t stop it. My dragonhadto be here with you. Then when I did come in, and touched you, your skin, I mean, not likethat.”
Eyebrows raised, I urged him to move on.
“I put a hand on your shoulder, and you just sort of calmed down. You looked so peaceful.”
I thought back to waking up just moments ago. It had been peaceful. As if I hadn’t had a nightmare. Excepting according to Dirk, I’d been so deep into one he’d heard me through two doors and come rushing in.
