The Pentagon Paradox

Chapter Eighteen

ADELINE

It was, in fact, the best night of my life. I slept through three dreams, and somehow they were all about a certain Arctic wolf. I spent all night hugged by my warm blanket, and I have never been happier.

Maybe fancy rooms have live blankets. I swing an arm on top of my blanket and hug my face to it. So warm in such cold weather. I am sure I just felt my blanket breathe.

Huh? I open my eyes slightly, and the wolf of my dreams is staring right back at me. I must be in phase four of my dreamland.

"Hello, dream ledger." A smile breaks out on his face, and the dryness in my throat demands I find milk. I back away and stretch my arms. Suddenly, realization slaps me across the face, and I shoot right up.

My wide eyes fall on smiling Greyson being bathed in the sunlight like a Greek god. My face turns tomato red, and I look anywhere else. I spot the wall clock blinking at me. 9:15 am.

How long did I sleep? Have I been in his arms all night? I should have slept on the floor. What made me think I could play his game? I can't play his stupid games!

I step out of bed and try to recall last night's events. Maybe I wasn't in his arms. Maybe I just turned now.

I turn to look at Ledger, who is balanced on an elbow and staring at me. His eyes are laughing, I swear.

"You jerk!" I can't even be remotely polite to him. I grab a pillow and throw it at his smug face. He catches it in mid-air but I am already opening my backpack. "Did you sleep well?"

"Shut up." He chuckles, and I take out my laptop. I should have charged it last night, but I was busy staying awake. I plug the laptop and go wash my face.

By the time I am back, Greyson is reading something on his phone. "We have to go to a hospital today." I tell him. He puts the phone down and turns to me. "We need to go get me some clothes too."

I sigh and nod. It would waste my time, but arguing with him would take lots of energy from my milkless body. "I will take a shower and you get us breakfast." He doesn't object, thankfully because I am about to step on my pride. "And get some milk too please."

I practice my walk of shame to the bathroom and close the door. I can hear him laugh outside. Now both he and his model girlfriend know my secrets. Ah, how humiliating.

I take a shower and dress in a white shirt and a blue striped blazer on light blue jeans. I untangle my hair and put on a watch. Greyson walked into the room while I was putting on my boots.

He puts the food on the coffee table. Fluffy pancakes and fruits. Croissants and eggs and bakeries I don't even know the name of. I should visit more fancy hotels. I stand up and start braiding my hair. "Leave it. It looks better down."

Automatically I let my hair go and my cheeks heat. I haven't known ledger for long. He can't tell me such things and then be casual about it. We both sit down in the chairs and start eating.

Ledger likes his fork but I prefer my hands. "What is the point of it?" I ask while chewing. "Your fingers are perfectly capable of handling food."

He sips his coffee and I sip my milk. "My hands are capable of many things," His eyes run down my body and I nearly choke on pancakes. "But I prefer to keep them clean."

"You can always wash them." I bite into a strawberry covered with chocolate. Instead of answering me, he stands up and presses his thump to the corner of my mouth.

I still like a marble statue in a museum. All I could do was watch as he wiped the chocolate from my face and licked his thump. "You are right, I can always wash them."