Something Worth Fighting For

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

BRAYLEE

I don't remember falling asleep in Dom's bed.

It must have just happened... like it always did the moment I put on a movie or a series to watch. I won't deny that I'm the type of girl to sleep, and love sleep, the moment I'm comfy and warm, and being in Dom's bed surrounded by snacks, the dog and the cat, in dim light... must have made me very comfortable.

Although, right now, comfortable wouldn't be the word I would choose to explain what I was feeling.

I hadn't moved in probably twenty minutes.

Not since I had woken myself up choking on a snore, drool dried to the side of my cheek and forming a cold damp spot on one of Dom's plump pillows.

I knew my snore had been loud because I had heard myself a moment before I jolted awake. And, look, I was an honest person so I knew that I snored whenever my neck was at an uncomfortable angle, so I wasn't embarrassed by it.

Much.

Because Dom was sprawled on his back beside me, his face a couple of inches from mine and turned towards me. The chances of him having heard me gargling away as if I had been possessed by some unholy demon were very, very high.

And I'd have to somehow wash his pillow without admitting that I'd slobbered all over it. If he hadn't witnessed that humiliating unconscious act.

Oh, and the cherry on top of it all? Why the fuck did he have to look so gorgeous asleep? Yet here I was, covered in drool with hair sticking out at all ends and probably a splotchy face? I'm certain I looked like I was coming off a twelve day bender, whereas Dom...

His deep breaths lifted his chest rhythmically, a chest where his large hand was currently splayed. A lovely chest, with a fine dusting of dark hair that lightly covered his pectorals and trailed down towards his navel in a narrow strip. I had to force myself to stop ogling the planes of his torso and the defined muscles and tendons of his arm, which led my gaze to his face.

Which didn't help my predicament, because Dom was something else.

I was sure I could stare at him all day if nobody else was around to stop me or notice me.

He had such a boyishly good looking face, it was hard not to be drawn in. There was a constant growth of scruff that covered his angular jaw, yet I knew that he shaved almost every other day. His lips looked firm as they were now, but they were quick to soften whenever he smiled- which was often, and the curl of his upper lip juxtaposed against the plumpness of his lower had a strangely seductive quality. There was very little about his face I didn't find appealing, in fact- not the subtle hook of his straight nose, or the dark slash of his brows (animated to crook above a silver eye whenever he was feeling provocative- which was often), and even his short-cut mohawk and shaved fade of his hair complemented who he was.

Lying in bed with him was doing my head in, I knew. I'd been just staring at him for so long, unmoving, that I anticipated him to wake up any moment now, and then where would I be? Gawking and blushing like a guilty felon.

Finally, I coaxed myself to move, so painfully slowly, keeping my movements precise in case Dom was a light sleeper. I ended up slithering out from under his duvet like a worm, hitting the floor with my knees first and then crawling a bit on all fours towards the door. Lord, if he woke up now there would be questions...

Blessedly, the man remained asleep and I made my shameful escape, leaving Dom and the animals to their slumber.

Yet, a gnawing pang in my chest made me realise that I wanted to stay in that bed with him because it had been so comfy, so nice and warm, and being next to Dom made me yearn for things I definitely had no reason to be yearning for. There was no way he'd want me to initiate anything with him, anyways, and besides that: we lived together.

At least for another year.

How awkward and messy could the situation get if I decided to launch myself at him because just the sight of his big muscles and teasing grin was enough to make my lady parts applaud? And worse- my proposition was rejected and I still had to live with the guy?

I'd bury myself in the compost heap.

No, these errant feelings of attraction for the guy had to come to an end. I just needed to figure out how to do that.

I went immediately to the kitchen, feeling that coffee may help me puzzle out some of my more pressing issues. None of the appliances were mine- most of my stuff had been damaged in the fire that had ravaged my apartment, so the fridge, dishwasher, stove and so on, all belonged to Dom. The lounge suite had managed to survive, since the room had been sectioned off at the other end of the passage, but my bedroom, kitchen and bathroom had not been as well-off. I'd bought myself a new bedroom set and some linen, found some second hand furniture at reasonable prices to replace some of the shelves I'd lost, but much of my room had been unsavable. Even some of my clothes, though protected by my walk-in and drawers, had not escaped the damage. My mom had helped me launder the majority of my wardrobe to get the smoke-smell out of everything, but it hadn't been an easy feat.

The landlords of the property had offered their appliances for my use, which would be covered in the rent, but when Dom moved in with his stuff, it was clear I wouldn't need it.

Another way the guy had saved my ass, I supposed. I wouldn't have to worry about finding the cash to replace the appliances I had lost just then.

I was rooting around in the fridge for milk when I realised we were seriously lacking for groceries. It was Saturday, so I supposed it was as good a time as any to venture into town and find a shop.

I was leaning over the kitchen island, making a list of groceries to buy on a pad with a pen I always kept nearby, when Dom emerged. A quick glance in his direction confirmed that he definitely did not have a shirt on and that I should studiously avoid looking at him until he did.

Which I did, focusing on my list.

"Morning, bed-hog," he teased in a gruff voice, brushing past me. I could feel the shift of his sweats against my trousers as he came to lean over me. "Is that for me?" He made for the mug of black coffee I'd procured for myself.

"What?" I eyed him warily as he took a sip from my mug, made a face of disgust, and set the cup back down as if it was filled with garbage. "Bed-hog?"

"Christ, what are you drinking? That has gotta be the blackest coffee I've ever tasted in my life, Bray. How the fuck do you not have hair on your chest?" In disgust, Dom moved away from me and yanked open the fridge.

"We're out of milk," I told him pointedly. "And sugar. And probably coffee, too. So I'm going to the store, if you need anything?"

He took out a near empty bottle of milk, scrutinised it for a moment before shaking the pitiful contents, opening the top and taking a whiff that instantaneously made his nose wrinkle. "I'll come with you," he said, tossing the bottle into the recycling bin. "I need a few things, so may as well. Besides, not sure I can trust you."

"No, you probably can't." I gave him a smirk over the edge of the cup I had pressed to my lips.

He pointed a finger at me. "And you don't even deny it. See? Dark and edgy, Brayson. And a bed-hog."

"Will you stop? I am not dark and edgy- I don't even know what that means. Also, you're, like, twice the size of me. I'm not the bed-hog here."

He snorted, lowered his hand, and went straight to my Cupboard of Sin. Honestly, I didn't mind. I found it endearing that he had as much of a sweet tooth as I did. Besides, I spotted him tossing bags of crisps into my stash the other day. He retrieved a few biscuits from an open packet and began to munch on them before he responded. "Yeah, right. Next you'll be denying that you snore and fart in your sleep, too."

Oh, God. "I do not." My voice was a horrified peep of a sound.

Dom raised an eyebrow, cocked a smarmy grin in my direction, and made off back to his room. "Be ready in ten, Bray."

~~~

Author's Note:

Daily updates have slowed down- I'm sorry! I've had a pinched nerve - sciatica - etc which has made my life hell. I need a new body... 

Anyway, as usual, thank you all for the support! 

Love, 
Ash x