Taken

chapter six

AURELIA AWAKES TO GENUINE WARMTH, the sunlight streaming through the windows pausing on her expression and caressing her cheeks, bathing her in golden light—but although the combination of the sheets and the sun warm her, it's the slightly unfamiliar arms curled around her shoulders that makes her still for a moment, her heart fluttering and returning to its normal cadence once she realizes it's Sawyer's chest that her hair is splayed across, and Sawyer's body that her face is buried into, her fingers clutching the soft, thin fabric of his T-shirt, as if even in her sleep, she'd been afraid to let go.

"Aurelia."

Her eyelashes flutter as she glances up at a roughly awake Sawyer, whose husky voice makes its way into the depths of her veins and threatens to stay in her bloodstream, causing her heart to speed up. "Did I drag you into bed last night?" she asks quietly, her cheeks flushing slightly when she notices the possible perception behind her words.

He smiles, his gaze softening as he looks down at her, for he'd always loved seeing people he cared for sleeping soundly and peacefully, then awaking peacefully, with no disruption of nightmares. For him, it'd been the fact that she hadn't awaken once throughout the night—no screaming, no whimpering, no expressions of utter panic and fear—that stirs an unfamiliar feeling in his heart.

And for an odd reason, he finds himself thinking it's because of her quiet, steady presence.

"Sawyer?" Aurelia questions, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

He clears his throat, his own cheeks flushing a pale pink when he realizes his arm is still wrapped tightly around her shoulders, as if even in his sleep, he hadn't wanted her to roll off the bed and injure herself. As he'd learned quite painfully over the past couple of weeks, Aurelia is extremely clumsy—and likely can't wash the dishes without slipping on wet floors. "You didn't drag me," Sawyer finally says, offering a small, amused smile.

She releases a soft sigh. "All right."

His smile widens as he tilts his head slightly. "You begged me."

She sighs heavily, rubbing one arm across her eyes in an attempt to fully awaken herself. They don't cooperate, however, and instead stay closed. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have drank so much," she mumbles, turning onto her side.

Sawyer stills, swallowing when he notices the familiar feeling of discomfort and hardness in his lower regions. He closes his eyes as Aurelia shifts again, her fingers retreating from his chest and leaving an area of cool air to swirl in its midst. "Aurelia," he says quietly.

"Mm?" she murmurs. Then, she makes the mistake of turning, pressing her backside to his front, and it's then that he releases a soft, pained sound, wishing he hadn't made the utter fault of sleeping beside her last night. Her eyelids flutter open warily, and she turns again, relieving him for a brief moment before she presses up against him again, her gaze wide and utterly free, the glance of innocence sending his lungs into a frenzy. Her eyebrows furrow. "What's wrong?" she questions when she sees the pained look etched into his expression.

"Nothing," he mumbles, shifting slightly away from her. "I should go get the car ready." However, as he stands, Aurelia's gaze can't help but flicker to the strained section of his joggers, and he stills when she lets out a loud, utterly carefree laugh.

"Is that—"

"Happens every morning," he mutters quickly, his cheeks flushing slightly pink. "Now go get changed while I get the car."

She laughs again, wishing she'd had the audacity to tease—is that mine—and although Sawyer feels the urge to glare, his expression cracks into a small smile instead at the sight of her sweetness. He watches for a brief moment as she stretches, the sheets dropping to her waist and revealing a large T-shirt that, somehow, despite completely drowning her tanned figure, looks gorgeous on her. He stills when she stiffens, wincing as she presses a hand to her forehead.