Convincing Leah by Becca Jameson

Chapter 9

Leah

The sun is coming up when we finally pull into Craig’s garage the next morning. I’m exhausted. I’ve cried so much that I doubt there’s anything left inside me to ever be able to shed another tear in my life.

Craig has never left my side. He’s rarely let go of my hand. Most of the time he kept an arm around me or even held me in his lap while I answered a thousand questions at the police station.

I wanted to be strong, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t do it. Not today. Not this time. It’s like I’m all out of strong. Drained. I’m not sure when or if I’ll get it back.

I’m in a daze from lack of sleep and fear. Craig tried to get me to drink water about ten times, but I haven’t had enough. I’m shaking so badly still that he has to come around to my side of the car, open the door, and unbuckle my seatbelt. I can’t even think to do that small part.

How we ended up getting his SUV to get home from the police department is a mystery to me. I don’t even care. I’m limp and empty and nothing matters to me right now.

Craig lifts me into his arms and carries me into the kitchen, shutting the garage door as we enter. He keeps going straight through to the master bedroom and into the bathroom. “I know you’re tired, sweetheart, but I think you’ll feel ten times better if you have a shower before you sleep.”

I nod as he sets me on my feet. I’m wobbly.

He doesn’t let go of me for an instant, not even as he reaches into the enclosure and turns on the water. A second later, he sits on the toilet seat, lifts me into his lap, and removes my shoes. I try to help, but it’s like my limbs aren’t accepting messages from my brain.

It only takes him moments to undress me though, and he sits me on the toilet as he removes his own clothes, leaving his black boxer briefs on.

I should be embarrassed. This should be awkward. But I’m too tired to care that he’s lifting me into the shower and leaning me under the spray of water. I don’t even care that I do very little but hold on to him while he washes my hair and then my body. He works quickly, but he even uses conditioner.

The water is warm, almost too hot, which is perfect. I can’t stop shivering.

When he’s satisfied, he turns off the water and lifts me back out onto the navy bath mat. He grabs a huge fluffy white towel and wraps it around me, patting me dry. He grabs a second smaller towel to wring out as much moisture as he can from my hair. He’s dripping wet, not caring about himself at all. Every ounce of his attention is on me.

I was wrong. I can cry more. Tears slide down my cheeks. I’m not sure how I could have survived the last five hours without him. Hell, going back farther, I’m not sure when someone would have found me if it weren’t for him. I owe him my life.

“Will your hair be okay if I don’t comb it out right now?” he asks.

More tears fall as I nod.

He wipes my face. “Sweetheart, why all these new tears?”

I suck in a sob. “You’re being so nice.”

He chuckles and then swings me up into his arms. “I’d like to spend my life being nice to you. I hope you don’t plan to cry every day.”

I shift my gaze to him. He’s serious. I can’t even let that idea sink in. I’m overloaded with emotions right now. That revelation will have to take a back burner. A lot has happened in the last several hours, but none of it changes how different we are.

Of course, what am I thinking? I’m not sure I care if we’re different. But I’m in no state of mind to ponder that today. I won’t be tomorrow either.

Craig sits me on the edge of his bed. “Hang tight.” He releases me and pads across the room to open a drawer. Moments later, he’s back. “Arms up, sweetheart.”

I lift my arms and let him pull his white T-shirt over my body. When he’s done, he tugs the towel out from under the shirt and uses it to dry himself as he returns to the bathroom. He’s back again in a flash, this time holding a glass of water and two pills.

He hands them to me. “Ibuprofen. And drink all of this water. You’re dehydrated.”

I take both from him and pop the pills in my mouth. My hand is shaking though, and the water is sloshing around.

Craig steadies the glass with his hand, tipping it slowly back until I drain the contents.

I blink up at him, feeling his strong Daddy vibes. Today I don’t care. I need him to coddle me. I wrap my hand around his, hoping to convey my thanks.

He kisses my forehead, lingering for a bit before releasing me.

I watch him move around in and out of the bathroom. He changes into dry briefs eventually and then closes the blinds, turns out the lights, and eases me onto my side, pulling the covers over me.

I’m still shivering as he climbs up behind me and gives new meaning to the term spoon. This man has one leg over both of mine, an arm under my neck, and an arm wrapped around my middle. His hand is covering mine between my breasts. His lips are on my temple.

“Take a few deep breaths, sweetheart.”

I follow his instructions, inhaling slowly and exhaling after. I do it two more times, my body beginning to relax in his embrace.

“That’s my girl. Keep breathing. I’ve got you. You’re safe. Rest.” His thumb strokes the back of my hand.

I force myself to take several more deep breaths. “I was so scared,” I whisper.

“I know, sweetheart. I was pretty damn scared myself.”

“You found me.”

I can feel his smile against my cheek. “Of course, I did. I wouldn’t have stopped until I did. I had a lot of help too. I couldn’t have found you that quickly without Blade and Colton. They have a damn lot of equipment in their office.”

I flip my hand over and thread my fingers with his. “I’ll send them a thank you card,” I joke.

He chuckles.

“I’m still scared,” I admit timidly.

“I know,” he whispers.

“What if I can’t go back to my apartment? What if I can’t stay there alone? What if I’m fucked-up inside?”

He strokes my arm. “You’ll stay here, and we’ll figure it all out together.”

“I can’t stay here forever,” I point out.

“Mmm. We can debate that later.”

I sigh. Of course, he would say that. “I don’t want you to read too much into how I’m acting. My emotions are all over the place. I can’t focus. I’m still in shock. I’ve never in my life been little, but I feel it coming out of me. Please don’t take it as a sign of anything.”

He freezes for a moment. “I fully understand, sweetheart. Don’t worry about that right now. Anyone would feel vulnerable after what you went through. But what do you mean when you say you’ve never been little? You weren’t born an adult.” His voice is teasing.

I squeeze his hand. “Yes. I was.”

He doesn’t breathe for several seconds, and then he hugs me closer. I’m glad he doesn’t ask more questions. I don’t have the energy to answer them. “Go to sleep, Leah. You’ll feel better after you get some rest.”

I feel safe. Warm. Secure. This might be the first time in my life I’ve ever felt that way. It’s irrational on a day like today, and I’ll have to unpack these feelings another time, but for now, the sensations help me relax enough to drift off.