Page 79 of Reflex

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Alle woke at three and then a little after six, both times as a result of Spook crying out in his sleep.The first time he rolled over when she nudged him and he fell into easier dreams.The second, his clammy skin left the sheet beneath him damp.Whatever nightmarish vista he kept straying into had him in an iron grip.Even calling out his name and shaking him couldn’t pull him out of it.Instead, she could only hold him tight, and pray that offered some comfort.The sun had begun to rise before he was peaceful enough that her own eyelids willingly drooped.

He’d already showered and dressed and ordered them breakfast by the time she finally stirred to the smell of coffee wafted under her nose.“Rise and shine, sweetpea.Xane’s hired us a yacht.We’re checking out and meeting in the harbour at ten.”

They were what?

She blinked blearily at the bright blue sky visible through the open window.“Where are we sailing to, if we’re checking out?”

“Cannes.It’s about an hour or so down the coast, but we’ll take it easy, and probably stop for a while en route to enjoy a swim.Did you bring a cossie?”

She hadn’t.

“We can pick something up from the boutique downstairs before we leave.”

Right.Her bank balance would probably never forgive her.An itty scrap of material from said boutique probably cost more than the rest of her wardrobe combined.

“Stop worrying about money.It’ll be my treat.”

She wasn’t.Okay, she totally had been.Alle yawned and stretched, then pushed herself into a sitting position.Spook handed her the coffee he’d brewed exactly as she liked it.Mmm, heaven in a cup.

“What about Ronnie, is he invited on this jaunt?”It wouldn’t do to run off and leave him, not when he was the reason she was in Monte Carlo in the first place.Bad enough that she’d deserted him yesterday.

Spook looked up from where he was picking at a bowl of fresh fruit.“He and Paul are now best buds, what do you think?”

“That I need another four hours sleep.”She probably needed an actual caffeine drip.

Spook paused to squint at her, a grape halfway to his mouth.He bit and chewed.“Did I keep you awake again?”

It took effort, but she nodded her head, before allowing it to loll against the padded headboard.“Whatever dreamscape you were in had a fast hold on you.I couldn’t wake you up.I did try.”

“Ah.”Some of the sunshine that had imbued him this morning seeped away.

“Was it the same one as the night before?”she asked.

In place of an answer, he turned away and padded barefoot outside onto the veranda overlooking the harbour.

“Spook?”She followed a moment later, the bed sheet entwined around her body, and her brew clutched tightly in her hand.He stood, forearms resting against the iron railings.“Maybe if you told me about it—”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Alle.”

So, he could remember it.

“But maybe if you did it wouldn’t have such a fast hold on you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Okay, she got it.His deliberate, precise emphasis conveying that with absolute clarity.Though really, what was the big deal about sharing the details of a nightmare?Unless it involved her in some way.She opened her mouth to ask, but thought better of it, and filled the awkward moment with a slurp of coffee instead.It didn’t stop her yawning.

“I’m sorry I’m not such a great sleeping companion.There’ll be plenty of time to catnap once we’re on the water if that’s what you feel like.”

“Maybe.”A second hippopotamus yawn stretched her jaw.

“Would you like me to turn the shower on for you?”

“That’s sweet, but I think I’m going to sit in the sun for a minute and drink this cuppa first.I have time for that, right?”

Spook checked the time on his phone.“There’s time.”He guided her onto a sun lounger.“Stay right here.I’ll fetch you a croissant.”