Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 25728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
I woke her none too gently by shaking her.
"Wake up Amber, the baby's hungry." I had to start calling my son by his name, but I hated Junior and I despised Collie, and he was way too cute for Col. His mother calls him Anthony, I was thinking Colin Anthony but that might be a mouthful.
She finally roused enough to take him. She moved like an automaton, lifting the shirt and attaching him in one smooth motion, like she'd had lots of practice instead of just the last few weeks. She still didn't seem to be fully awake as she hummed some lullaby to Anthony.
I watched them together, some foreign emotion choking me, she was so fucking perfect, why was she so perfect and how? I didn't understand any of this, she keeps asking me to listen but I'm afraid to and I don't fucking know why. What was I afraid of? What could she possibly say? I had the evidence didn't I? The proof of her crimes against me; Fuck I hate being uncertain of anything.
When the baby was done I took him and burped him on the way back to his room. His mother was asleep again before we left the room. I came back and drew her back into my arms, this time not so forcefully because I'm a sap. I could feel my heart softening again and prayed to God this time I'd escape unscathed and with my sanity intact. She smelt sweetly of mother's milk and peaches, damn I was hard again, first time in ten damn months and it had to be her. Colin I love you. I think I'm going to hear that just the way she'd said it for the rest of my life. I subconsciously played with her hair the way I once use to before falling off to sleep.
Chapter 10
Amber
I was between sleep and wake, that time when you're not quite dreaming but the remnants are there. I felt better than I had in a long time. There was a hard chest under my cheek. I smiled and hugged myself closer to the warmth. Colin, my Colin of course, we were back in Greece. I guess I wasn't quite awake yet the dream seemed so real. It was the best one yet I could actually smell him. I clung to the dream a little longer knowing I'd have to awaken soon, back to reality. I rubbed against my dream Colin like a cat in heat, full body contact.
"Hmmm, Colin how I wish you were really here."
"I am."
I almost fell off the bed I pulled away so hard. Oh my, what had I done? My cheeks were scarlet I'd never been so embarrassed in my life.
"I'm...um what...?" What was there to say? How much of my dream did I play out in that bed? And what the hell did I say? Colin was...laughing huh, I didn't think he remembered how. At least I hadn't seen him so much as crack a smile all yesterday. Now when we met, that was another story, we laughed together all the time that was one of the reasons we’d worked so well together. We both loved having fun with each other.
It wasn't one of those laughs where the person was laughing at you, no this was his carefree I'm happy to be alive from the gut laugh. Thank heavens my son came to my rescue, we could hear him working up steam on the monitor.
"I'll just go get the baby." I said it altogether like it was one word before high tailing it out of there. Whew, catastrophe somewhat abated. I can't sleep next to him again, no matter what there was no way; who knew what I'd wake up doing next time?
I fed and changed Anthony who promptly fell back asleep, which was good because I needed to put some clothes on. I didn't have much in the way of clothing since I'd only been given ten minutes to prepare and I'd concentrated more on the baby than myself. I chose a pair of low hanging jeans thank goodness I'd lost the baby weight, not to mention a few extra pounds that I probably shouldn't have. I topped it off with a blue short sleeved button up, since nursing my son fashion had taken a back seat to comfort and easy access. I didn't mind though, I'd never been into that stuff anyway. Colin's sister Terry had tried in the little time I'd known her to drag me off shopping every chance she got. Terry, I wondered how she'd react to me being here.
Colin was up and in the kitchen when I finally found the courage to leave my room.
"Coffee's ready, help yourself."
I looked at him askance, my cheeks already ablaze. He seemed...different somehow, softer, I don't know maybe it was my imagination. Good maybe he was in a better mood and I could finally ask him some questions.