Ice Cream Bar, Book 1: Keep Lucky (🔥🔞 Spicy Version)

Chapter 24 - Lucky (Monday Morning)

I had the weirdest dream last night. I was flying.

No, it was Keep. Keep was flying and he was carrying me. We were in danger. We had to fly over this black lake to get to safety. I know it sounds crazy, but I think the lake was actually on fire because everything smelled like smoke.

I'm awake now but before I even open my eyelids, I squeeze them shut even tighter and scrunch up my face as I let out a small groan. These sleeping pills are strong. Every morning I tell myself that I am not going to take them anymore. They always give me these bizarre dreams and make me feel groggy in the morning. This dream had been particularly vivid. I could feel heat, I could hear the crackling, I could smell the burning, I could feel Keep's body against mine. Funny, it's like I can still smell the smoke.

I try to raise my arms to stretch but one of my arms won't move. It feels stuck somehow. There is a weight on it so I can't lift it. What the heck is going on? My eyes are immediately peeled and alert.

I am not in my apartment. I am not in my bed. I am not alone.

Keep's angelic face is inches away from mine. I am frozen in astonishment. His eyes are closed and he is snoring oh-so-softly. My heart starts thumping wildly. I bite down hard on my own bottom lip to keep myself from squealing. My arm won't move because it is trapped under him. How is this happening? How is it possible that am I here?

My mind races as I work to dig through my memories from last night. I'm sure I went back to my own apartment after work. I specifically remember taking a sleeping pill and getting into my own bed. I can't recall anything from then until this very moment. Did I sleepwalk? Could it be a side effect from the prescription? Oh God, did I come over here to try to do or say anything inappropriate?

I examine Keep more closely. He is still in the clothes he was wearing last night. And they stink. I don't remember the bar being any smokier than usual last night. Why does it smell so strong? And if the clothes smelled this bad last night, why didn't he take them off and shower before bed?

Suddenly I gasp. It occurs to me to look down at myself. Just as I had gone to bed, I'm not wearing a shirt. Thankfully, I am still in sweatpants and not just a pair of boxer briefs like I sometimes wear to bed. I let out a slow breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

So now what? I should check my phone. There have to be clues on my phone as to what the hell happened last night that resulted in me waking up in a bed next to Keep. But my arm is stuck. I can't wake Keep. For some reason, I feel like I have to figure all of this out before he wakes up. Once he wakes up, I will be too mortified to compute any of this.

Unfortunately, my worst fears are realized only seconds later. Keep begins to stir. His face scrunches up as he rolls to his back and extends his arms and legs into a deep stretch. He lets out a long, loud yawn. Part of me thinks I should close my eyes and pretend to be asleep but I don't know why. What would that solve? Besides, I'm still too stunned to move and I'm still too physically stuck to move.

Keep turns his face to mine. He lets out a small yelp like he is startled. That, in turn, startles me so I reflexively yip back. Luckily, this actually makes Keep smile and I am instantly more relaxed. But then he sits up suddenly.

"Your arm!" He points to my sleeping limb. "Are you okay? I'm sorry!"

I try my best to smile naturally instead of nervously so that he can be at ease. I pull my hand into my chest and give my wrist a rub. It's completely numb.

"It's fine, it's fine. No worries," I assure him. I pull myself to a sitting position, as well. My smile fades though, as I soon feel too nervous to look Keep in the eye anymore. Sitting in bed together like this feels way too intimate. I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I can't remember anything from last night. My eyes dart around the room awkwardly. I clear my throat but before I can formulate any of the questions racing through my mind at this moment, Keep speaks.