Would You Fall Too?

Stirring against the unfamiliar sheets, Emilie blinked her blue eyes open, her stare landing on the clock which ticked irritably on the wall. It was still early, from what she could see of the clock, it was barely past 4 in the morning, but she doubted she was going to get much more sleep. It was something that she struggled with, since Jeremy, she had been reluctant to sleep anywhere but in her own room, and even if the room did smell like Sergio’s aftershave, it had done little to soothe her.

Sparing a little yawn, she pushed her hand back through her hair and quietly slipped out from underneath the covers, collecting a jumper from the side before she padded out into the hall. She knew that she couldn’t leave, no matter how uncomfortable she felt, she couldn’t just up and leave Sergio’s home in the middle of the night, but she couldn’t sit in the spare room all night. She merely didn’t feel comfortable.

Sparing a small look towards the master bedroom, she padded quietly down the stairs and made her way into the living room, flicking on a lamp as she moved towards his bookshelf, perusing it swiftly. She was a little annoyed with herself, Sergio’s guest room was as good a place as any to get her head down for the night, but she merely couldn’t manage it. Unless it her was bed or her room at her parents’ home, she merely couldn’t relax. Settling on a football biography which sat on the shelf, she padded back towards the couch and curled up on it, reading quietly.

“Em?” Sergio’s voice was sleepy as it reached her, catching her off guard “Amor, what are you doing up? It’s like 4” he murmured.

Emilie set the book down. “What are you doing up?” she countered.

“I asked first” Sergio replied, stifling a yawn as he sat on the arm of the couch “You OK?” he posed.

Emilie nodded. “It’s nothing, Sese” she mused gently.

“I’d love to believe that” Sergio replied, nudging her elbow with his foot “But you’re sat in my living room at 4 in the morning” he added.

“I couldn’t sleep” Emilie noted gently.

“Why?” Sergio posed.

Emilie swallowed a little. “It’s another fun little quirk of mine” she murmured, her tone a little sarcastic “I have an issue sleeping anywhere that isn’t my bed or my room at my parents’ house. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to turn down your offer” she explained, knowing precisely what his next question would be.

Sergio sighed and reached out his hand. “Come with me” he noted.

“Sergio” Emilie murmured “You should just go back to bed. I’m perfectly happy here, reading” she added, gesturing to the book which sat in her lap.

“You’re a fan of Sir Alex Ferguson?” Sergio posed, his eyebrow quirked slightly.

Emilie shrugged. “I won’t know unless I read it” she reasoned.

Sergio shook his head and peeled the book out of her hand, setting it on the coffee table. “You can read it at another time which isn’t four in the morning on New Year’s Day. Come” he noted, offering her hand out to him.

Emilie eyed it a little unsurely before she placed her smaller hand into it, allowing him to lead her carefully up the stairs and into his own bedroom. “Sergio” Emilie warned.

“I am not trying anything, Emmy” he insisted gently “But you need to sleep somewhere and here is as good a place as any. Nothing bad can happen here if I am here” he added, squeezing her hand gently. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why she was nervous, it all went back to Jeremy and what had happened to her, but Sergio wanted to comfort her. She had barely got two hours of sleep before she had gotten up and he wanted to ensure that she got a little more.

Emilie peeked at his bed for a second before she peeked back at him. “I don’t know” she murmured softly.

“You could try” Sergio suggested softly “And if you’re really not comfortable, then you can go home” he added.

Emilie chewed on her lip lightly before she nodded, something which made him smile. Offering her hand another light squeeze, he let it drop and gestured towards the bed, allowing her to climb in first. Emilie eyed the large bed and tentatively clambered into it, resting on the right side before Sergio took the left. “You don’t have to lay right the way over there, Em” he teased, his dark eyes peeking over at her “I am really not going to try anything funny. I get that you need to wait” he added.

Emilie nodded her head a little and shifted slightly closer, allowing Sergio to drape an arm over her waist, shuffling her a little closer to him. Emilie jumped a little at the feel of his arm around her, but she didn’t pull away from it. She had to admit that she kind of liked the way his arm felt wrapped around her waist. “See” Sergio noted, his smirk almost audible in his voice.

Emilie shook her head a little. “Maybe it’s not so terrible” she murmured.

Sergio smiled and pressed a little kiss against the back of her neck, holding her close to him.

Emilie rested back into him, her back rested against his chest as her blue eyes closed, her soft wispy snores following soon after.

Sergio watched her for a moment, admiring the slightly hypnotic motion of her chest, before he ducked his head down, placing another kiss against her skin before he leant over, switching off the bedside lamp. He knew it was going to be slow progress, Emilie tended to be a little skittish when it came to being close to him, but he wasn’t going to put a rush on her. If there was one thing he knew about Emilie it was that she wouldn’t react well to pressure and he had little intention of putting it on her. If he wanted her to be comfortable with him, then he merely had to let it happen, leading her through tiny steps at a time until she felt ready.