I feel a thousand times better and scoot back to my cupboard to find thick fluffy bed socks for my now soft and supple feet, and climb on the bed to plait out the front of my hair to keep it off my face. The layers are long enough now, and always falling in front of my eyes so I French plait across the front and finish it off down one side of my face with a little elastic from my bag.
I hop up to admire myself in the mirror once more, and the difference it makes is amazing. Radiant and squeaky clean; my skin flawless in its sun kissed beauty, and glowing. My hair is lighter, and shinier once more, now the filth is stripped out and the natural highlights of my blonde are softly shining through. The style framing my face and drawing attention to my now slimmer cheek bones and long neck.
I look less child, and way more woman, and I can’t help the little confidence boost it gives me. My green eyes shining brightly back at me, despite hints of dark circles under my eyes, but overall, I look pretty. I never used to think I was anything of the sort, but now I see it. Like finally seeing what Colton sees, and it’s not a girl anymore, or a shy feeble little no one who used to cower away from all Santos. I now stand tall, with my chin tilted up, and there’s more presence to my posture than before. A look in my eyes that says fierce because I’ve lived through some amount of shit so far already, and no one is going to push me back in the shadows. I have fuller lips, defined bone structure, and a better length of hair that suits my face shape. I could give Carmen a run for her money looking like this, and honestly, side by side, I put my bets on me. It’s weird to finally appreciate myself this way.
I scan the room, aware that now I have this boost I no longer want to lie on the bed and the restless fire in me is up and revving inside. I don’t want to lie down until my hair dries anyway, and I now have the urge to go check on Sierra and see how she’s settled. Colton looked tired, so maybe I should offer to swap. Sit by his mom while he sleeps in here and gets some much-needed rest. I mean, we are sharing, sort of, so maybe we could alternate and when one uses it the other stays with Sierra, until we figure something else out.
I’m sure the only thing to sleep on in there is a couch, unless they have more beds on wheels to give him, and I make up my mind that it’s the only thing to do. He’s important to the pack and I’m not really, not right now anyway. He should rest well, in a? real bed, in his own room, and I think I want to sit by Sierra for a little while, surrounded by noise, and movement, like I was in the forest, until I feel calmer about being back among everyday life. I need a transition period.
I check myself over once more as my night shirt slides off one shoulder, exposing soft peachy skin, and try to figure out if this is modest enough attire to go walking around the homestead. I’m covered, and the shirt is almost to my knees, not thin enough to see through. It’s baggy, and pretty shapeless, but it does cling to my breasts as it keeps sliding down off my left shoulder so that I don’t look frumpy in it. There’s a peek of shadow from my navy underwear, but overall, it’s just a shirt, I don’t need to get dressed. Not really.
With my mind made up, I pad out into the hall, clicking the door closed quietly behind me and realize t how quiet this place is for the hour. It must be after midnight for sure, but I can’t be certain, and tiptoe down the dimly lit hall towards the door we took Sierra through earlier, so as not to make any noise and disturb people who may be close by down here.
I know where the infirmary is, and I don’t hesitate in clicking open the door and sliding into the extra hallway that shields the infirmary from people walking in, the airy white painted box area with vinyl grey floor. I make my way through that second door too, to the double doors with windows, and through the glass I can see Colton sat by her side, reading a book to her. His back to me, and tilted down towards her at his side, so I can make out his profile and the book perched on the side of her bed.
The Doctor is asleep on a bed in the corner, looking completely comatose with a blanket thrown over him, and the femme medic is standing off to one side at a counter and doing something. I guess she’s on night duty while Doc sleeps. There’s no one else there, and the lights have been set to low, so the only illuminations of any brightness come from the medic at her workspace. The rest is dim, even where Colton sits, and I can barely make out the low hum of his voice as he talks to her.
I click open the door as quietly as I can and move in quickly, and silently, but he seems to know and immediately looks my way, catching my eye and then sliding his vision up and down my with an appreciative half smile as he does so.
You look knock out and much like the old you. Although why are you not in bed?
He mind links me and despite myself I blush and make my way to him to stand beside him at the bed.? Trying to ignore the rise in heart rate, and how overly aware I seem to be now I’m back beside him yet wearing noticeably thinner clothing, so his body heat warms me by being close.
I couldn’t sleep and figured you might want the bed and I could stay with her.
Colton shifts in his seat and turns so he faces my way and hauls over another stool off to the side to beside him and pats it for me to sit.
“I don’t want to leave her just yet, sit with me. Keep me company.” He locks a look on my face, that half smile, the one that melts me, with those excruciating dimples which set my belly alight. I slide onto the seat immediately, too swayed by that face, and hating myself for the obedience, knowing it’s probably stupid to cozy beside him in the middle of the night given the last time we got so close in here, but something inside of me is urging me to stay with him. The desire is stronger than my will, and even though I try to sit away slightly, once he turns back to his mom, his shoulder and arm fit snugly against me and make me tremble with the effects of his touch. That hyperawareness zooming back in, and every inch of my skin tingles in recognition of his body heat, betraying me.
“What are you reading her?” I ask to push focus on something else, pushing him out of my mind, ignoring my traitorous body, and trying so desperately to breathe normally as my breaths shallow out. I hush my voice so as not to disturb the sleeping Doc, and it covers how breathless I’ve become in near proximity to him in such an intimate setting.
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