Chapter 14

When Loren returned from the bathroom, wrapped in his dressing-gown, Harm was still sitting on the couch, playing with a loose thread of the blanket.

"Maybe you should take the bed." he suggested.

"I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed." She protested.

"But my couch is not the right place for you to sleep on."

"Then I should drive back to my apartment. It's late and I have already been enough of a burden tonight." Loren said half-heartedly, not wanting to go.

"Stay here. You can sleep in my bed." He repeated again.

At 0400 in the morning he couldn't let her drive all the way across the city back to her apartment.

'Stubborn woman,' he thought. An idea crossed Harm's mind then. He hoped Loren wouldn't deck him for it, he knew she could, but Harm was willing to take this risk, everything to make her comfortable and get her to trust him again.

"Come here." he ordered gently, holding his hand out to her.

Loren took his hand, trusting him and together they walked into his bedroom. Harm laid down and lifted the comforter.

"Come on, join me, I won't bite." Harm said to lighten the mood.

"We can't."

"I'm not asking you to marry me; I just want you to get a good-nights-rest."

Unsure what to think of it, Loren walked over to the bed and, still wearing his dressing-gown, she crawled into the bed, letting Harm drape the comforter over them both.

At first Loren couldn't get comfortable, but a moment later she felt Harm's arm going around her waist. A second later she was pressed into him, her head resting on his chest where the beating of his heart would soothe her to sleep.

"Better?" he asked, stroking her back.

"Much."

"Go to sleep" he said softly.

It felt wonderful laying in his arms, she felt safe and loved for the first time in her life.

It felt like home.

Laying here she could allow herself to daydream about the famous what-if's. Unconsciously her fingers were moving over his chest until her hand came to rest over his heart.

"Why is it wrong, even when it feels right?" she voiced her thoughts out loud.

"What?" Harm asked.

"Laying in your arms. Being so close to you."

"Why should it be wrong? We're friends, I dare say we're best friends. Is it forbidden for best friends to share a bed? To offer comfort to each other?" Harm smiled.

Loren was silent. What should she say? "Damn, no one had ever truly cared for me and this is exactly what I have always wanted. Someone to be my friend, to like me, to love me. Someone like you. But I can never get what I want, I never had the chance for my happily-ever-after. Not even with the man I love." as soon as the words were out of her mouth Loren realized what she had said.

She could only hope he wouldn't ask no more. Loren wasn't sure that in her emotional state she would be able to lie and maybe even blurt out her feelings for Harm.

She wasn't ready for this kind of confession.

Not yet.