He was supposed to catch up on sleep while he was here. It wasn’t happening. He was poring over her words. He was determined he was going to read her entire book tonight. Even if it meant a sleepless night. He’d done it before.
He had to understand her. It was the passion pulsing in his heart now. Whatever it took, before he awoke tomorrow, he would know her so intimately that her heart would be safe with him.
—
Breeze couldn’t sleep. Namjoon had given her his bed, yet she was still awake. He was probably fighting with couch cushions to see who would win the upper hand right now. But just in case he was actually asleep, Breeze tiptoed out to the kitchen to get a drink of water.
When she reached the living room, she saw the light on. Namjoon was bent over her book, his face lost in deep thought. She stopped and just stared at him for a few moments, trying to discern the look on his face. He was so precious. He was staying up to read her letters! She felt like crying again. She’d best leave him alone, so he could get through it. She pivoted to return to his bedroom when she suddenly heard his soft voice.
“Breeze?”
“What, Joonie?” She was whispering.
“What’s wrong?”
She shrugged. “Nothing.” Still whispering.
“You can’t sleep?”
She shook her head, still facing away from him.
“Come here.”
She turned and looked at him. He patted the couch next to him.
“Come on. Sit by me. We’ll turn on a movie.”
“Ok,” she mumbled and went to sit on the couch.
Namjoon put a romantic comedy into the DVD player and sat down next to her. They were so close, they were touching. He was acutely aware of every square centimeter of his body that was brushing up against hers. There was no way he’d be concentrating on this movie tonight. He was aware of only her. He could smell almonds and cherries again. And he decided in that moment that if that was the last fragrance he smelled before departing the earth, he’d die a happy man. He leaned toward her and inhaled.
Breeze was trying to concentrate on the movie. She really was. Well, maybe not. Who cared about some dumb movie when the love of her life was sitting next to her in the dark late at night? She really just wanted to lay her head on his shoulder. She was beginning to relax and starting to feel a little sleepy now that she wasn’t missing Joonie anymore. She felt herself beginning to nod off. She leaned towards him, her head coming to rest on that coveted shoulder.
—
Namjoon glanced over at Breeze. She looked exhausted. Her head kept moving closer and closer to him.
Come on. Come on. Just a tad bit more. There you go. Just rest your head on my shoulder.
She finally did, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t sure why, but he really wanted her head leaning on him. Now he could put his arm around her and pull her whole self up against him. He did just that, and her head gratefully came to rest over his chest as he tucked her in next to his side. She nestled her head under his collarbone and closed her eyes. In a very few seconds, she was sound asleep.
His fingers were tracing an intricate pattern along her arm for several moments. He buried his face in her hair once more and inhaled her scent. He sighed. A guy could get used to this.
Don’t.
A voice was warning him to guard his heart. But he didn’t want to. He wanted to open his heart wide to this girl. Roll out the red carpet and invite her deep inside so that she would never find her way out again. And he would never be alone again.
He hugged her tightly to himself, relishing the feel of her cuddling up against him. He planted kisses on the top of her head amongst her golden hairs, his fingers lightly caressing her arm still.
After a while, he reached for her book and set it on his lap. Then he opened it to the paragraph where he’d left off, and he began to read again. So much for sleep tonight. It was overrated anyway. Not nearly as good as the book before him. Or as studying the beauty in his arms.
He stopped reading every so often to look down at the girl sleeping in his embrace, a faint smile resting on his face.