Chapter 46
ChapterText © by N0ve/lDrama.Org.
46
Katrina made Kylan's tea as best she could with what little the cafe actually had to offer during after-hours. They didn't have black tea, so the settled for chamomile in hopes that it would help him sleep
Once back in the suite, she walked into the bedroom and found Kylan typing away on his computer. The low lighting of the room, coupled with hum being shirtless and wearing his glasses.. It all made for a dangerously intoxicating sight to walk in on.
She cleared her throat, maneuvering to his side of the bed and holding the tea out for him. "They didn't have black tea." She apologized, stepping back, and taking off her jacket.
"Mmm." Kylan responded, taking a careful sip of the tea. "Chamomile?" he asked while she hung up her jacket in the closet.
She climbed onto the bed, pulling the duvet over her legs, and shuddering involuntarily against the coldness of the bedsheets. "Yeah, I thought it might help relax you," she admitted.
Kylan was watching her gri comfortable under the bedcovers. He set his cup of tea on his nightstand, closed his laptop, and then stood.
"What are you doing?" Katrina asked him, yawning as her eyes followed him as he walked around the bed.
He didn't answer her, slipping out into the main room of the suite for a moment. He returned a handful of seconds later, the throw from the living room couch positioned over his arm. Still not saying anything, he draped it over her body and then stepped back to his side of the bed.
She smiled, surprised by the kind gesture. "Thank you, Kylan." She yawned again, snuggling further into the bed and then turning on her side to
face him
You should get some sleep." Kylan mumbled, typing on his laptop once again.
She nodded; her eyelids were already far heavier than they had been only a few minutes ago.
"You need to sleep, too, she breathed, staring at the profile of his face, the glow of the laptop screen reflecting off his glasses. "We're going to my dad's boat in the morning, she reminded him.
"I'll be fine, Kate. Go to sleep, Kylan responded, his CEO voice coming out just a bit
She rolled her eyes, but even that action was exhausting right now. "Fine" she relented, staring at him for a few more seconds, but then ultimately allowing her eyelids to close
-0-0-0-
ay catch up.
She gasped, jumping at the unmistakable sound of someone shouting. She blinked a few times while her mind tried to play
The room was dark around her, with only faint moonlight filering in through a break in the curtains by the balcony. Even with the sheer size of the bed she was sleeping in, she could feel someone thrashing around next to her. Frowning, she reached over and fumbled for the light on her nightstand. She took a glance at her phone and saw that it was nearly three o'clock in the morning.
-No Please. Stop."
She rolled over and found Kylan tossing and turning, the duvet kicked half down his body. His normally tidy hair was tousled, his eyebrows pulled together, and a sheen of sweat reflected across his forehead, though the room was chilly.
She watched him kick about the bed, panting and groaning as he did. He looked miserable and almost like he was in some kind of pain, and she moved to sit on her knees as she stared down at him. She knew he told her not to intervene. He didn't want her to get involved. But now! Seeing ham like this, so helpless and obviously struggling. It was nearly impossible to keep her distance.
Yasmin. Please, don't leave me." Kylan's voice was pleading, begging, dripping with the hurt he never dared to utter during his waking hours
Who was Yasmin? Why was he having a nightmare about them? Why did Yasmin leave him?
Kylan thrashed again so violently and so suddenly, she nearly lost her balance and fell backward off the bed entirely. She couldn't just do nothing. It didn't feel right. It wasn't okay to bear witness to something like this and do nothing
What could she do, thought He was strange about physical contact when he was awake. Surely, if the invaded his personal space while he was asleep, it would only be worse
She stared at Kylan's contorted face, taking in his ragged breathing, and has continued thrashing. And then she saw a tear slide out of the corner of one of his pinched eyes, and that was enough for her.
Slowly, she shifted her body to sit next to him. Tentatively, she brought her shaking hand closer to his face, biting her inner check the entire time. Her own hear was racing, knowing she was about to cross a line.
12:50 PM
She hcked her lips and then finally allowed her hand to first rest gently on his forehead, barely touching him at all. Then, she ran her fingers through his hair, peeling it all away from his sweaty forehead in calculated, soft strokes. "It's okay. Kylan. You're okay," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper.
To her complete astonishment, she watched as Kylan calmed beneath her fingertips, His breath was evening out, his eyebrows less furrowed, his closed eyes not as constricted.
He took a deep breath in his sleep, and she felt herself smiling fondly at him. She continued to stroke his hair for a few minutes and then she laid back on her side of the bed, not wanting to encroach on his space any more than she already had. She listened for any more shouting or mumbling, but she heard none
She eventually fell back asleep, and Kylan didn't wake her up with another nightmare.
-0-0-0-
She awoke to her alarm blaring loudly and she sighed, rolling over and shutting it off. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, turning to look at Kylan in bed next to her.
She found nothing but an empty bed, the sheets on his side adjusted and pulled perfectly taut. Frowning, she scanned the bedroom for any signs of
her boss.
There was a light coming from the space under the bathroom door, and she figured he was already awake and taking a shower. Sure enough, the door opened, and Kylan emerged wearing a black crewneck sweater and a pair of nice, dark-wash jeans. He was back to wearing his contacts, his hair perfectly in place once again.
"Good morning. Kylan," she told him quietly, her voice slightly raspy from disuse during the night
r sentiment.
"Good morning. Kate." Kylan returned her
She stared at him for a moment, wondering if he remembered anything from the night before. Was he ever able to recall his nightmares? Did he know that she crossed the line and comforted him?
He didn't seem to be acting any differently toward her, and so she chose to follow his lead and do the same.
"I'll get ready quickly, and then we can go to the harbor." She clambered out of bed, fixing the duvet and throw pillows for Kylan's benefit more than anything.
"I'll go do some work near the fireplace." Kylan picked up his laptop from where it was resting atop the dresser and then left her alone.