Chapter 22 The Answers Aren't At The Bottom Of A Bottle
April
I have stayed in Corran’s room for the last few hours to make sure he wasn’t sick again. I wanted to wait until he fell asleep. I plan on sleeping on his sofa with the doors open so I can hear him if he is. There is water and painkillers next to his bed. I had a little deja vu tonight from that first night I brought his drunken ass safely back here.
Climbing out of bed, I make sure he is covered up. There is a basin next to the bed in case he needs it. I turn, ready to walk away, but I don’t get far. Corran grabs my wrist. Sighing, I face him. He is staring up at me.
“Do you need something?” I ask.
“Where are you going?”
“To sleep on your sofa. Go back to sleep, Corran, you need it.”
He seems a bit more sober after a couple of hours of sleep. “You don’t need to sleep on the sofa. You can sleep in here with me.”
“I don’t think that is a good idea.”
Slowly, he sits up. “Please? I don’t want to be alone.” His eyes soften, and a hopeful look takes over his face.
I want to say no, but I find myself nodding. At least if I am in here with him, I can keep a better eye on him. “Okay.”
I don’t need to worry about something to sleep in. I was already in my PJs before I came over here.
Corran smiles. “Thank you.”
I turn the lamp off and climb into bed with him. I turn my back to him, keeping a distance between us. I feel the bed shift from behind me, and soon, the warmth of his body radiates against mine as his front presses against my back. His arm drapes over me. I freeze, but only for a second before my entire body relaxes.
“Is this okay?” he whispers, nervously.
“Yes, it is fine,” I reply.
He finds my hand in the dark and links our fingers. I don’t fight against it. I soon hear his breathing become shallow as he falls back asleep. He shifts in his sleep, burying his face between my shoulders. I close my eyes, trying to push all the strange feelings coursing through me. This probably wasn’t such a good idea, but it is too late now. If I move, it will wake him up, and I would rather he stay asleep.
I stare at the wall in front of me, and my mind runs wild. How do we keep getting ourselves in these positions? I wonder what would have happened if we never met? Would something bad have happened to him tonight? Would I have hidden in bed, depressed because I was trying to adjust to everything new? I don’t know, but I can’t help but wonder if fate had a hand in bringing us together. Many people live in this building, yet Corran is the one I run into. It is all a little strange.
I close my eyes and clear my thoughts, hoping for sleep to take over me. The same comfort takes over me as the last night, and slowly, I begin to drift off. I will sleep well just in the way I did those last times.
I wake, but not because it is morning, it is, but the thing that woke me is Corran’s morning excitment which is digging into my ass. It has been a long time since I was woken up by that. The difference between now and then? Back then, I didn’t mind; I liked it because I enjoyed taking care of it for Corbin, but with Corran, I can’t exactly do that.
A laugh escapes from my lips. “Um, Corran, can you wake up, please?”
“Sleeping, shh.” He groans.
“Your morning friend is digging into my ass.” I snicker.
Corran quickly pulls away. “I am so sorry.” He panics.
I roll over to face him. He looks a little red in the face, embarrassed. “It is fine.”
I bite my lip to stop from laughing again in case it makes him more embarrassed.
Corran covers his face and chuckles. “I really am sorry. I am sure that isn’t how you wanted to get woken up.”
“It isn’t like it’s the first time I have ever experienced it,” I reply, snickering.
I am glad we can laugh about it, even if it is awkward.
Suddenly, his brows furrow, confused. “What are you doing here? Not like I mind.”
Last time is a blur, it would seem. No wonder, with how drunk he was. I will leave some of the details out of what happened.
“You said you would stop by for some soup, but you didn’t show. I got a little worried and wanted to check on you. You were passed out on the sofa, drunk with vomit all down you.”
Corran sits up and runs his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “I am sorry, April. You shouldn’t have had to deal with me when I was like that. I promised myself I would stop getting so wasted, but I had a slip last night.”
“It is okay. I am glad I came, or anything could have happened to you.” I sigh.
“Thank you for checking in on me.” He smiles.
I nod. “What happened yesterday from when I left your office to last night? Do you want to talk about it?”
Corran shakes his head. “No, not really. I had a bad day, nothing more. It happens sometimes. You didn’t need to stay.”
There is more to that story that he is telling me, but I won’t push. “I understand. I did plan on sleeping on your sofa, but when I tried to leave, to ask me to stay in here with you. You said you didn’t want to be alone.”
Corran lets out a loud sigh. “Oh, okay, I am sorry about that too.”
“Would you stop apologising, Corran. You don’t need to.”
I would never judge him for the mess he was in last night, since I have been there myself multiple times. He nods and reaches for the bottle of water and painkillers next to his bed, taking them.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“A little bit of a headache, but other than that, I am fine.”
If you do something enough times, it stops affecting you. It was the same for me when I was drinking heavily. I didn’t get hangovers. Now, because I don’t drink much or often, a couple of glasses of wine and I have a headache.
“Well, since I know you are okay, I am going to head home and let you get on with your day,” I say and climb out of bed.
“I appreciate you being here, April.”
“You know where I am if you need to talk, Corran. The answers aren’t at the bottom of a bottle. Trust me, I tried that too. Please take care of yourself.”
“I promise to try.”
With a quick goodbye, I exit the bedroom and his place, heading home. I didn’t want to overstay my welcome, which is why I chose to leave. Corran knows where I am if he needs me.