Bear: Devil's Rose MC #7

Chapter 22: Kate Thatcher

I wake up at two am cold and alone. For some reason, it makes me want to cry. Half of that's the pounding headache and nausea in my stomach, but the other half is probably because I want to be snuggling with Dorian. Maybe that makes me sound soft, but I couldn't care, and Dorian's not going to judge me for that. 

If anything, he would appreciate the honesty. 

Simone and I talked about him for quite a while. She wasn't angry or upset at either one of us for feeling something for one another. It was obvious that she was happy. I can tell when people are lying about that, and she wasn't. 

Plus, she was drunk. Most people can't hide shit when they're drunk even if they think they can. 

She told me to go for it. She told me that it didn't matter that we hadn't known each other long. What was there to lose? We only get to live once. I'm not entirely sure how to approach the situation, not having been in one like this before. It's extremely unknown territory. 

While I feel nervous and scared, I'm also excited to know what would happen if we labeled it. What if I wanted him to be my boyfriend or romantic partner or whatever? I'm not saying I'm in love with the man yet. At least I haven't realized it at this point, but I do feel something. 

I want to explore that something. 

But first, I seriously need to pee.

Once I've finished going to the bathroom, I stand in front of the bed, eyeing the empty space, and can't get myself to get back in. I wrap myself in a blanket and head into the kitchen to chug three glasses of water. I hear the padding of Dorian's feet before I see him.

"Be careful, honey. Don't make yourself sick."

"Eh, couldn't be worse than I already feel."

He lays a hand on my waist, kissing my neck tenderly.

"Do you need medicine? I can grab some," he whispers to me, sweeping my hair away to expose my shoulder.

"I'm okay, thank you," I mumble in reply as he places kisses along my shoulder blade.

"What are you doing up," he asks.

How do I answer this? Do I give him the truth or do I lie?

I'm already lying about so much; I don't think I could bear to lie to him about something else.

"I was feeling lonely."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?"

He laces his fingers through mine and tugs me into his bedroom with another word.

"What side do you want, honey?"

"I couldn't care less. I just wanna be here with you."

The moment my head hits the pillow, and I find myself wrapped in Dorian's embrace, I fall asleep.

--

I wake up to a light kiss on my cheek and the morning sun streaming through the windows. Dorian's arm slides around my waist and pulls me closer to him, humming in satisfaction as our legs tangled together. I blink my eyes open and smile brightly at him. 

He runs his hand down my back and over my butt, squeezing it. I guess he's in a good mood this morning. I chuckle as he starts reaching his fingers into my sweatpants and over the hem of my underwear that I didn't get the chance to take off last night.

"Can I?" he questions with a deep, morning grumble.

"Can you what?" I ask just to hear him say the words even though I know exactly what he wants to do.