“Pretty sure.”
“What does pretty sure mean?”
“It means I think there is a real strong chance we’ll get through this.”
Ignoring the dismay on her face, I moved to strip the linen off the bed. I put the blankets and all the pillows in the tub, creating a little bed for Blaire. There was one semi-comfortable chair in our room, so I carried that into the bathroom too.
Blaire stood by and silently watched as I dragged the heavy mattress off the bed and laid it against the patio doors.
“Why are you doing that?”
“It might help support the glass from blowing in, and if it doesn’t, it will help prevent glass from spraying everywhere.”
She gave a little cry when the lights turned off, leaving us in complete darkness. Then they flickered and came back on. She looked completely terrified. “Do you think the lights will go out?”
I was pretty certain they would. “We’ll be safe in the bathroom.”
She didn’t look convinced.
“Go get settled.”
“Are you coming too?”
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
I stood looking out the window, watching as water and wind shredded everything in their path. Across the road, beneath the streetlight, a skinny bamboo fence was ripped up like an accordion. Piece by piece, it disappeared into the sky.
If these patio doors blew out, the only thing between us and that storm would be the bathroom door. I needed something heavy to brace against it. I opted for the large teak dresser. It took some effort, but I managed to push it into the bathroom. It was incredibly tight, but I made it fit.
Blaire was sitting in the chair with her knees up. “You’re bringing that in here?”
“I want to brace the door.” I grunted as I pushed it against the locked door.
“Good idea.” She sounded worried.
“You doing okay?”
“I’m fine.” She stood up from the chair and then sat down on the edge of the tub.
I was not fine. I had hit my wall. I was about to start hallucinating from lack of sleep. I figured I had an hour before the storm got really bad. If I was going to get some shut-eye, this was my window. “I need a quick nap.”
“Right now?” She sounded stunned. “How can you possibly sleep?”
“I can sleep anywhere.” I sank down on the chair.
“If you want to sleep, get in the tub.”
“That’s your bed.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m way too keyed up to sleep.”
I was tempted. “I only need an hour of sleep.”
“That’s fine.”
I took off my watch and handed it to her. “Wake me in an hour.”
“Okay.”
With inhuman strength, I managed to stand up again. “Don’t leave the bathroom. Not for any reason, is that clear?”
“I doubt I could get past that dresser.”
“I’m sure you’d find a way.”
“I have no interest in going out there.”
My body screamed with relief as I lowered myself into the tub. One boot was braced against the wall and the other leg hung over the edge of the tub while the pillows and blanket supported my back and head. Holy fuck, it felt good. I managed to give one more instruction. “Wake me if you need me.”
And then my lights went out.
I woke up to the sensation of Blaire leaning against the leg that was hanging outside of the tub. I opened my eyes to pitch darkness. Outside, the wind howled with ferocity. My ears popped like I was doing a high-altitude jump.
“What’s wrong?” I rasped.
“Nothing.” The already-dim flashlight clicked on, illuminating her position on the floor. She had curled her body around my leg. “I hope you don’t mind. I just feel better when you’re close.”
“Here—you should be in the tub.”
I started to push myself out, but she moved with lightning speed. I grunted as she awkwardly climbed onto my lap.
“What are you doing?” I asked while my hands lifted her more securely in place.
“You told me to get into the tub.”
“I was going to get out first.”
She curled up against me and lay her head down on my chest. “This is good too.”
Her trembling body felt warm, and my arms, against my will, tugged her closer. The feeling of having her safe in my arms did something to me that set off more alarm bells. I tried to ignore that warning. “Are you scared?”
“Yes.”
Her blunt honesty never failed to surprise me. “We’re safe.”
“I know.”
I knew she didn’t believe that, because I could feel her erratic breathing.
Around us, the wind shrieked like some terrifying entity that was trying to fight its way inside. “We’re going to be fine.”
“I know.” Her body trembled.
She felt warm and soft, reminding me of long-ago days when I used to let myself sleep with women. I fought to keep my eyes open. “How long did I sleep?”
“About an hour and a half.”
“How long have the lights been out?”
“Eight minutes.”
Waves of fatigue threatened to pull me back under. “I need to stand up or I’m going to fall back asleep.”
She snuggled harder against me. “That’s okay.”
So far, the patio windows had held up, and we were tucked safely in the bathroom. At the moment, I had no reason to be awake.
“Do you want the tub to yourself?”
“No.”
Even another hour of sleep would keep me going for two more days. I gave in to the temptation. “Wake me if something changes.”
“I will.”
I pulled her tighter against my chest, and then I was out.
I awoke to complete silence. I clicked on the flashlight. Blaire was sprawled on me in a deep sleep. I stared down at her face, reluctant to wake her.
She looked so peaceful—almost angelic. Such innocence. As if she could sense my stare, she slowly woke up and opened her sleepy gaze to mine. The sweetest smile crossed her lips as she dropped her gaze. I wanted to taste that smile with my own lips.
“Storm seems to have passed,” I told her. I lifted her wrist, which now wore my watch. Seven hours had passed since we had left Tonko’s place. Most of that time we had spent lying together in the tub.
She sounded wistful. “Is this my cue to get up?”
An irrational part of me wanted to put my arms around her and tell her to go back to sleep, if only so I could hold her a bit longer.
“Yup.”
When Blaire moved away from me, my arms felt oddly empty.
She waited while I pushed the teak dresser aside, and then together we stepped into the hotel room. We emerged to daylight and a different world. The glass patio doors were missing and so was the railing of the deck, leaving a gaping hole in the wall that overlooked the street. The mattress was gone. All items in the room, including paintings, the bedside table and the bed frame, were smashed and piled against one of the interior walls.
Side by side, we stepped up to the open space to look outside. There were no real words to describe the catastrophic destruction below.