I tossed and turned for the millionth time. It was almost two a.m., and after the amazing sex, I was sure I’d be able to sleep. No such luck. My mind just wandered with more thoughts than I could process. I was so tired I couldn’t think, yet my brain wouldn’t shut off.

I quietly slipped from Cal’s bed and turned to look at him. His arm was out, as if seeking the empty sheets of where I’d just been. He looked so peaceful. So incredibly handsome.

I walked to the front room where I’d left my purse and got the sleeping pills out that the doctor prescribed me a few weeks ago.

I just wanted some rest. I wanted to be able to wake up with Cal tomorrow and not feel exhausted, and maybe even enjoy the day.

“Take one to two…” I read. I popped two in my mouth, grabbed a quick drink, and put the pills back in my purse. I headed back to bed and snuggled in next to Cal. Even in his sleep, he reached for me and pulled me close. His body was like a furnace, running hot and warming me, so I didn’t bother with covers. I just closed my eyes, tried to let my mind go blank, and prayed for sleep to finally come.

~

“Lana…”

I heard Cal calling my name and something pinching my wrist. My eyes felt so heavy, like they were made of cement, and they refused to open. But I kept hearing Cal. I tried to move my hand where the pinch was coming from.

Finally, my eyes started to work, and I struggled to open them. I squinted, then tried to open them wide, which wasn’t easy. The haze cleared a bit, and I saw Cal.

He was staring down at me, a look of pure terror on his face. “Jesus Christ,” he said, and glanced at a watch in his hand.

I frowned and looked down to see the pinching was his fingers over the pulse in my wrist.

“What are you doing?” I asked in a groggy voice. My mouth felt dry, and the whole world was in slow motion.

“I’m taking your vitals,” he snapped, as if mad at me, which didn’t make sense. I looked around. I was in his bed, still wearing his shirt. He was wearing pajama bottoms and a look of fear and anger.

He finally let go of my wrist, tossed the watch on the bedside table, and grabbed the glass of water that sat there.

“Here, drink this,” he helped me sit up. I took the water and drank, and he tucked the covers further around me like it was sixty below.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, and set the cup back on the night stand.

He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at me. “You wouldn’t wake up,” he said with rage in his voice. “You were freezing cold and didn’t wake up. I physically tried moving you, anything, but you just…were limp.” He shook his head and stood, grabbing the top of his head with both hands.

“I’m sorry. I took some sleeping pills last night because I couldn’t sleep.”

His eyes shot to mine. “How many?”

“Two. The bottle said—”

“Have you ever taken them before?”

“No, but I was so tired.”

“You should have started with half a pill. Damn it, Lana, you don’t know how drugs will affect your system!”

He was so mad, but there was a rawness in his voice that made my heart break a little.

“I…I didn’t know.” I’d followed the directions, but that didn’t seem to matter. And, yes, they were new to me, but I thought it’d be okay, which it was. I was fine, they just apparently knocked me out into a deep sleep.

He scrubbed a hand down his face and muttered a string of curses.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” I said quietly.

“Well, you did,” he snapped. “I woke up, you had no covers on, your skin was like fucking ice, and I couldn’t get you to open your eyes.”

I shook my head. The stupid drugs were still making things foggy, but I tried to put the pieces together. He was being kind of an ass, but he cared. I think. I shook my head again and squeezed my eyes shut, then opened them, desperate for this haze to clear.

“Why are you being mean?” I asked. At least, I was pretty sure he was being mean. I didn’t know. I wasn’t quite awake yet. I cupped my head in my palm.

Tags: Joya Ryan Reign Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net