For You

chapter 25

I quickly remove myself from under Ruel, grab my phone and run into the bathroom. I check to see if Jenny has texted me about coming back to the hotel anytime soon but I only have one from Amy responding to the picture of Ruel holding Maggie. I pull up Jenny's number and call her.

When she doesn't answer, I text her asking how long until she arrives back at the hotel. It takes her a couple of minutes to answer but when I see that she won't be home until three in the morning, I almost pass out. I'm used to Jenny staying out late, but with the situation that just happened with Ruel, I wish she could arrive home sooner.

I realize that I've been in the bathroom for quite some time and decide it's best to just face whatever is next to come. I open the door to the bathroom and walk towards the bed. I find Ruel sitting upright against the headboard with his legs tucked into his his chest. I can't see his face because he has it tilted down onto his knees. Seeing him like this hurts my heart and I feel bad for running out on him like that.

I sit back down on the bed and Ruel finally looks up. When he looks at me, his face flushes and I totally forget that I'm dressed in only a bra and sweatpants. I go to retrieve Ruel's shirt that he lent me as pajama's and go back to the place I was sitting. I then take his hands in mine, forcing him to face me. "I'm sorry for running out on you like that, I should have never done that. I guess I just wasn't ready for...for...well you know"

He half smiles at my attempt to apologize. "You shouldn't be the one apologizing. I took things way farther than they needed to go and I'm so sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. I just didn't want to do anything without really getting to know you first." I say and then look at Maggie. "Plus with the baby here, I don't think that would've been a good idea."

Ruel reclines back onto the headboard and he motions for me to come sit back on his lap. I climb onto his lap, but this time with my back against his chest. He places his head on my shoulder and smile at the nice gesture.

I take the TV remote and flip through the different channels. I can't find anything interesting to watch so I just turn the television off. Thankfully, Maggie starts crying and it gives me something to do while we wait for Amy and the others to arrive back.

I pick Maggie up from her crib and cradle her in my arms. I rock her back and forth, swaying side to side. When she stops crying, I climb back into Ruel's lap, still holding the baby close.

"You really love Maggie huh?" Ruel asks.

"So much." I reply back.

He leans his head into mine and I feel his hand go under my shirt and rub my back. "I know she'll grow up to love you."

"She better! I swear I would do anything for this child." I joke.

Ruel laughs at my not so funny joke and takes out his phone. He snaps a picture of the three of us and when I look at it, I feel a sense of delight spring through my body. If I could stay in the moment forever, I would.

I feel myself getting tired and tired and I put Maggie back in her crib so I can lay down. There's only one bed in the hotel room so Ruel and I both have to share it. I didn't plan on sleeping but when Ruel said that he would stay up and wait for the adults to arrive back, I didn't decline his offer to sleep. I shut the lights off and head straight into the bed.

I get under the covers and feel Ruel lay down under them as well. He moves closer to me and reaches his arm out across my pillow. I slide over and rest my head on his chest. I close my eyes and listen to the sound of his heartbeat, drifting right off to sleep.