THE next morning, Aiden wasn’t in the room when she woke up. She immediately sat up in panic, thinking he had already left her behind. But then she saw his duffel bag still on the floor, along with his phone on the nightstand, plugged into a power bank. She let out a breath of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. Then she remembered falling asleep on the couch last night and Aiden waking her up. She didn’t remember moving from the sofa to the bed. He must have scooped her up and transferred her there.
She got off the bed and went straight to the bathroom to wash her face. When she came out, Aiden was already inside the room. The space was suddenly filled with the aroma of breakfast and coffee, and her stomach grumbled. As if sensing her need, he picked up the coffee and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said with a grateful smile. She ate alone since he said he had already finished. While eating, she noticed him rotating his shoulders. She wasn’t dumb enough not to understand what that meant.
“Aiden?” she called after a moment.
“Yeah?” He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.
“Sleep on the bed tonight. You look tired, and I know you didn’t sleep well last night. You don’t have to sleep on that cramped couch again. And before you argue with me, I insist, Aiden. You should get a good night’s sleep because we’ll be traveling tomorrow once the storm is gone. I won’t take no for an answer this time.”
He let out a sigh. “Are you sure you won’t mind sharing the bed with me?” he asked, looking straight into her eyes, as if making sure that was really what she wanted.
She shook her head at his question. Surprisingly, she was sure of her answer. “I won’t mind. As I’ve said, I want you to be comfortable while you sleep tonight.”
Aiden smiled, and she almost forgot how to breathe. “Okay. Thank you, Bree.”
“JUST tell me if this makes you uncomfortable. I can sleep on the floor instead.”
Bree opened her eyes at what Aiden said. They were both lying on the bed, with a large pillow placed between them. Even so, Bree still couldn’t stop feeling uneasy. She had been shifting positions for a while now. The distance between them in the car was nothing compared to this. She could smell his scent, hear his breathing, and feel the heat from his body. It was torture for her.
“That’s it. I’m sleeping on the floor.” He was about to get up when she grabbed his arm. The simple touch electrified her again, so she immediately pulled her hand away. Good thing it was dark, otherwise he might have seen her reaction. It was the last thing she wanted—for him to know he had an effect on her.
“N-No, please stay,” she said after a few seconds.
Aiden sighed. “You don’t have to force yourself. I know you’re uncomfortable, Bree.”
“No, it’s okay. I just… can’t fall asleep yet,” she lied. He seemed to believe her because he didn’t insist on getting up anymore. She felt him lie back down, and even in the darkness, she could feel his gaze on her.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get to Iloilo,” he said.
Blinking into the darkness, she asked the question that had been bothering her since the beginning of their road trip. “Will you leave me once you find Audrey?”
“Why would I do that? We’ll go home together—all three of us, you, me, and Audrey.” Even without seeing him, she knew he was frowning.
“I don’t ride airplanes,” she reminded him again because she was sure they would take a plane if Audrey came back with them. Even if he promised to accompany her home, if Audrey wanted to fly, he would surely follow her.
When he spoke again, she felt him turn his head toward her. “Why is that?”
“My parents died in a plane crash,” she said softly.
He didn’t say anything for a moment. “I’m sorry…” he said. “I’ll try to convince Audrey to go back home by land. Besides, I don’t like the idea of shipping my car back to Manila.”
She let out a breath of relief at what he said. “Thank you, Aiden.”
“You’re welcome,” he replied. She could almost hear him smiling as he spoke, and her own smile slowly formed. “Let’s sleep.”
She turned her back to him and closed her eyes. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Bree.”