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“You okay?” Maddie asked with concern, instantly removing her hands.
Saff pushed herself up onto her elbows. “Think I’m at my limit for laying on my side for the night,” she said, forcing away the twisting in her stomach. “Thanks though.”
Maddie frowned. “Turn onto your other side, facing me.”
Saff looked at her for a moment. Maddie's previous words floated in the back of her mind. After spending so much time together, it had become easy to forget who she'd been—who she was. It had been easy to forget the lie.
She swallowed, forcing away the twinge of uneasiness in her chest. “You sure? You’re not too tired?”
A small smile tilted up the corners of Maddie’s lips. “Only one of us gets up and starts their day practically in the middle of the night.”
Saff snorted, shaking her head. Then she twisted her body the rest of the way to face her.
Maddie waited for her to settle, then easily returned her hand to her shoulder. She transitioned to using only one hand and shifted a little closer to her when she reached her hand farther onto her neck.
Saff watched her for a few seconds. Her deep blue eyes held a look of complete focus as she trailed her fingers up into her hairline at the back of her neck.
Saff yawned and let her head relax against Maddie’s pillow. Their faces were less than a foot apart, and Saff wondered why it didn’t feel uncomfortable to be that close to her. Or that close to anyone. Maybe she really had gotten used to having her around.
She wondered what Maddie would say or do if she knew the truth. If she knew what she’d really been a part of before they met.
She forced those thoughts away as another yawn drew from her mouth, and this time her eyes were slow to reopen. She blinked a few times, the heaviness in her lids increasing each time Maddie ran her hand down her neck.
Chapter fourteen
Maddie woke slowly to a tightening around her torso and chest.
It felt nice—soothing. And she relaxed into it for a moment until it grew tighter. Then she began to wake up more, and as she came to, she heard a noise. A muffled, distressed cry near her left ear.
And suddenly she was fully alert.
Something soft pressed hard against the back of her neck. A face? Lips?
Another noise, then the arm around her tightened again, the hand squeezing her wrist.
Then, all at once, it came back to her.
Massaging Saff’s neck and shoulders.
Slowly getting drowsier.
Realizing Saff was almost asleep.And that was the last thing she remembered.
The next noise was louder. More like a low yell. And it instantly reminded her of the night they stayed at the house in the rain.
“Saff,” she whispered, turning her head over her shoulder to the woman laying behind her.
No response.
She waited a moment, then another yell came through.
“Saff,” she said again, this time at full volume.
Again, nothing.
Finally, she shifted her body, turning around beneath Saff’s arm until she was facing her. And it was only then that Maddie realized how close they'd been sleeping. Their bodies were flush against each other now, with Maddie's front pressed against Saff, who still held her tightly against her.
“Saff,” Maddie said, a bit softer. She lifted her hand up towards her neck. “Hey, it's okay.”