“Bree?” He tapped on the double door. It took a minute, but he could hear her approaching footfalls.
“Good morning,” she said as she opened her side of the door.
He took her hand and pulled her toward him. “Good morning, Bree.” He put his arms around her and held her close. “When I woke up and you were gone, I was afraid last night had been a dream.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“Shh. Don’t apologize. It’s okay.”
“I don’t know why I left.”
“It’s one thing for me to comfort you in the night. It’s another thing entirely for us to acknowledge that closeness by light of day.”
“It is?”
He nodded. “It is.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” he whispered as he drew her farther into his side of the cabin. “Come here with me, baby.”
“Jace, I can’t.”
“You can. It isn’t any different than last night.”
When he pulled her over to the bed, she didn’t resist. He pulled back the covers so she could crawl in, and got in next to her.
She rested her head on his shoulder, just where he wanted her.
“I want to do this when it’s daylight, so I can see you,” he murmured. “And know I’m not dreaming.”
“Do you dream about me?”
“All the time.”
“I dream about you, too.”
“Nice to hear.”
“Jace, I can’t—”
He put two fingers over her lips. “I know. I want to hold you close. That’s all.”
“Okay,” she said and snuggled back into him.
Jace had no idea what time it was. He must’ve drifted back to sleep. Bree was still snuggled against him, so he kissed the top of her head. He wanted to keep going, to kiss her lips and not stop until he had kissed every inch of her, but he didn’t.
Last night she told him she couldn’t. He understood. As much as he wanted to make love to her, it was too soon. She moved against him, and he cringed.
“Does your leg hurt?” she asked.
He hadn’t realized she was awake.
“No, my leg is okay.”
“You look like you’re in pain, Jace.”
He pulled her closer. “I am, darlin’, but it isn’t my leg that’s hurtin’.”