He started to doze off, tiredness just about too much. The TV slipped onto standby mode, the security light outside flicked on when a fox visited the garden and a police car drove past, checking all was okay.
Alex stayed asleep, even through Hansel waking up and going to the window to see the fox and a whine from Gretel when she dreamed about rabbits she couldn’t catch. It wasn’t until the slight creak of a cupboard echoed through from the kitchen just before the sun rose that he rubbed his eyes and sat up, bolt wide awake.
Wearing just a pair of black boxer briefs, he strode into the kitchen, slightly disorientated from the noise of another person being in his house.
It took half a second to become fully awake. Abby was stretching up to the cupboard where he kept the glasses, his T-shirt not quite covering all of her backside as she reached. Long slim legs were fully exposed, bare feet and the bottom of her neat backside.
Shit.
It was an automatic physical reaction to get an erection. Being woken up and finding a half-naked very attractive woman nearby was going to have that effect. But the kitchen was only lit by moonlight, so she’d hopefully not notice.
“Crap.” She almost dropped the glass. “I didn’t know you were there. Fuck.” She put the glass down and held onto the side of the worktop.
“Sorry.” Alex rubbed his face again. “I heard a noise and forgot it might be you. Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Just needed a drink of water. Want one?”
“Please.”
She reached up to get another glass, which he realised was a bad idea. He had no idea if she was wearing anything under her T-shirt or not. His treacherous dick was hoping not.
The sound of water made him focus on being under a cold shower, not Abby’s legs and backside.
“Are you sleeping okay?” he managed to get the words out.
“Yeah, your bed’s really comfy. Better than mine. I’m sorry you’re not in it.”
They looked at each other as she turned round, her phrase she’d used hanging in the air.
“I didn’t mean it… like that… sorry.” She passed him the water. “I meant I’m sorry you’re having to put up with the sofa.”
He realised he was disappointed with the explanation.
“It’s fine. I probably spend more time sleeping on that than in bed. Too easy to fall asleep while I’m binge watching something after work.”
She smiled, the glint of moonlight from the window turning her hair silver. “I do that after work. It takes me about three nights to watch one episode. What are you watching?”
He grinned. “Prison Break. I know it’s old but I never got to watch it.”
“That’s one of my favourites. Where are you up to?”
“Start of season two.” He felt too awake now, but at least his dick had calmed back down. “Want to watch some?”
“Sure. If that’s okay with you?”
He nodded and picked up her glass, leading her through to the lounge and onto the couch.
He didn’t know who fell asleep first, but when Gretel woke him with a gentle paw to his face, Abby was tucked under the blanket with him, her head on his chest and half of her body on top of his. Her breathing was deep and slow; she was completely sound asleep. He untangled his body from hers and debated what to do. Leaving her on the sofa meant she’d be woken by the sound of the dogs eating breakfast and the back door being opened. He bent down and scooped her up in his arms, her weight nothing which bothered him much. She murmured something, half-disturbed, and tucked herself into him until he got to his room, pulling back the duvet and gently placing her back in bed.
Briefly, her eyes opened and she half-smiled. “Lex…” It was one word, mumbled, then she closed her eyes again and snuggled into the pillow.
Alex pulled the duvet back up over her and then stood there for a few seconds, watching, semi feeling like a stalker, before he left to let the dogs out and then get back on the sofa, this time alone.
It was past nine when Abby emerged from his bedroom, her hair mussed from sleep, still dressed in just his T-shirt.
Alex was in his back garden, chipping away at what had been the trunk of an old tree. He’d wanted to join the police force since being a small kid, but he’d always loved working with wood. Old Man Syd who’d lived in Severton forever and a decade had taught him how to carve and how to make doors for kitchens, shelves, the basics and more of joinery. When Syd had died half a decade ago, Alex had felt as if he’d lost his grandfather. Syd’s business had been carried on by his son, but for a few weeks, Alex had wondered if he’d wanted a business partner.
“That looks incredible.” Abby folded her arms under her breasts, which meant Alex stared at them.
“Thanks. It’s for Scott and Keren for their garden.” Alex stood up, putting down his tools and dusting off his hands. “How did you sleep?”
Abby smiled. “Good. I’m sorry I woke you when I went to get a drink.”
He shrugged. “It’s fine. We didn’t get to see much of Prison Break though.”
There was another smile from her, this one shier. “How did I get back into bed? I think I fell asleep on your sofa.”
He wondered how she’d react if he told her she’d actually fallen asleep on him.
“I carried you. If you’d stayed on there you’d have been woken by one of the dogs and I can’t guarantee it would’ve been pleasant.”
“Oh.” She looked away, embarrassed. “Sorry.”
Alex shook his head. “Nothing to be sorry for. You weigh about as much as Gretel.”
There was a slight nod. She looked awkward.
Alex wondered if her weight was a touchy subject. He’d had girlfriends in the loosest sense of the word, just never anything that could be classified as serious, so he’d never had to over-analyse what he said or how he said things beyond being a decent human being.
“Sorry. If that wasn’t the right thing to say.” He knew the hole he’d started digging was getting deeper.
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I know I’m skinny.” There was the awkwardness again.
This time he decided to ignore it and move on. It was probably safer. “We could do with checking out your house. Make sure no one’s been hanging around outside or anything’s disturbed. Do you want breakfast first?”
She froze, then shook her head. “I could do with some clean clothes. And I stink of bar. We can go whenever you’re ready. I don’t want to put you out.”
“It’s my job.”
“It’s also your day off. You could get someone else to come with me.”
That had already occurred to him. That was exactly what he should be doing; getting someone on duty to go back with her to check the place and getting on with the rest of his day. The sky was bright blue and cloudless and he’d promised himself a morning of making something for Keren and Scott then a climb.
“I could.” He hated lying, unless it was necessary, and actually a little bit of the truth he was pretty sure he knew was important here. “But as far as I know, you’ve never had anyone in your house since you moved there and no one knows anything about where you actually came from, so I’m thinking you’re hiding something.”