My Lost Hero (Angels of War Series #1) REWRITING 2024

Chapter Twelve

I rested my ebook on my stomach when Joshua appeared at my bedroom door. It was half-past eleven in the evening, and Matt had left only an hour ago on the promise of not letting ourselves distance from one another too much. Inevitably, it would happen, but I hoped we could remain friends above everything else.

"You're up late," Joshua whispered, resting his shoulder on the doorframe.

I let my eyes travel across his face and then down his body, checking him for any visible "Yeah, I couldn't sleep, and when I can't sleep, I read," I said.

He stepped away to cross his arms over his chest and switch positions. "I get you. It's a wonderful escape."

My hand brushed over the lace trim of my pyjama top and his eyes caught onto the motion, while I felt the need to address earlier. "Exactly that."

"Tabitha?"

"Joshua?"

We spoke at the same time, causing both of us to snort. It cleared the air and his stiff posture softened. Wasting no time at all, he moved across the room to sit next to me and slide his hand up and down my arm.

My breath caught in my throat at the pleasurable sensations it caused.

"I think you're so special," he said, wrapping his fingers around my wrist.

I took another long and calming breath. "You do?"

"Yes." His smile was soft, but so sure, and it warmed my heart. "I didn't mean to raise my voice at you earlier. I acted like an idiot, especially towards Lara."

I frowned. "You upset her."

"I know, I did. I apologised. We sorted it out," he said, grazing his nails over my skin in a gentle movement.

As soon as our gazes matched, he came alive with a sparkle I had yet to meet. And here I was with air trapped in my throat, not sure how to deal with the shift change.

I looked at him through my lashes when he moved even closer. "I'm pleased that you did."

"Yeah," he said, getting up from the bed, resting his hands on his hips when I raised an eyebrow at him. "Is it cool with you if I go grab my book and come chill out in here with you?"

There wasn't enough time to answer him, before he slipped out of the room to go grab his book and eyeglasses, leaving a small gap in the closed door when he traipsed back in here.

I motioned to the hardback in his hand. "What are you reading?"

"It's an autobiography. Richard Fenwick. A retired paratrooper," he said, causing me to wobble about when he threw all of his weight down in one go.

The hard eyes of the older man on the cover of the book told of the hardships he'd had to endure. "Is it not triggering to read about war?"

"Everything triggers me. The guy who wrote this speaks about how he got over the PTSD. It helps me," he replied, putting on his tortoiseshell glasses to turn to the page where his bookmark sat.

Nodding, I pressed the screen of my ebook to light it up. "I'm reading smut. I don't think it would be your kind of thing."

He chuckled, sliding his legs down. I noticed his feet were tan and strong with a trailing of dark hair all over them. "Probably not."

We followed in a comfortable silence, reading until my eyes grew heavy and a yawn caught me off guard. Joshua flashed me a tired grin, grunting when he ripped the quilt down to climb underneath the covers.

Once he settled back down, he reached out to brush my hair back and stroke his knuckle across my cheek, leaning in to whisper. "You tired?"

I nodded, unconsciously following him when he took away his touch. "Um, it's been a long day."