Counting Sheep

Chapter 28

He collected himself and took in a deep breath. "It goes on and on, over and over. The anniversary of her death is in two days."

Layla felt a tear trickle down her cheek for what he had to endure, for the horrors she knew that he saw over and over again without fail in his mind.

She didn't know what to say, so she simply hugged him to her, laying her head against his chest. He sighed deeply, resting his chin on the top of her head as he squeezed her even tighter until it was almost painful. She didn't care.

After a long moment, she pulled away from him and met his gaze with her own. "I am sorry you have to deal with those nightmares. I know how horrible they are—the horrible hot and cold feeling that slides down the back of your neck when you wake up, realizing that it was only partly a dream and mostly a reality. Why haven't I ever seen or heard you have a nightmare before this? Why haven't you told me?" She asked urgently.

"I would just make sure not to sleep or if I did I would do it in very small increments. And because I didn't want to trouble you with my demons when you already are fighting your own." He said and she laughed softly, shaking her head as if he were a complete fool.

"Julian..." She whispered. "That is what you do for someone that you love. Even if you are dealing with enough nightmares or pain or heartache you set it aside-happily-to help the people you love. And honestly, it seems as though your mind already knows this because you were doing it with Hazel and I." She said, caressing his cheek.

"But-" He began, but she cut him off. "But its different for you? No, Julian. It isn't and you know it."

Layla wrapped her arms around his neck. "Let me help you. You don't have to fight these things alone anymore and I am sorry you had to deal with them all by yourself for so long, but you aren't alone anymore..." She murmured. "You have Hazel and...you have me."

Her gaze flicked to his mouth before going back up to his eyes. "You have me now...you have me forever...you have me always."

Julian's eyes burned with unshed tears as he fought the rising wave of emotion that built in him. He didn't know what to say, how to react, so...he simply kissed her.

Their lips met and Layla sighed against his mouth as though having her lips against his own was the most perfect paradise she could ever imagine. She tightened her arms around his neck as he picked her up and led her to the bed.

Ever so gently, he laid her down and pulled his lips from hers, eyes running over the lines of her face. He lifted a hand and ran large fingertips lightly over her cheek making her sigh softly as her eyes fluttered shut. His fingers traveled up then to her eyes, gently running over her brow and back down her temple to her jaw and to a path that led to her lips.

Her eyes opened slowly as he laid a large hand over her chest, just over her heart.

Finally, he looked up at her and smiled, a slow beautiful smile that had warmth blooming inside of her.

"I'm gonna marry you one day." He promised her.

She was so shocked that the smile froze on her lips as her breath caught in her chest. He stared right back at her without an ounce of hesitation and finally, she felt her smile grow again as she felt bright and light, a feeling she never would have imagined feeling after Mason.

She pulled him down to her, whispering, "Not if I marry you first."

Then, she kissed him.

They made love after that, slow and sweet with a heavy promise and happiness blanketing over them.

A little while later, tight in one another's embrace, sleep descended once again and for the first time in 26 years, Julian slept deeply and didn't have a nightmare waiting for him...