The Heart Knows What the Heart Wants by Lori L. Clark

"LILA!"
    Star bolted upright, her heart was racing ninety miles an hour. She heard the strangled cries coming from down the hall. For a few seconds, she held her breath while she listened. "LILA!" she heard. It sounded like Shane's voice. She flung the covers off her and ran down the hall toward his wails. Without hesitation, she pushed open the bedroom door and ran to him.
    He was clearly in the midst of one hell of a vivid nightmare. She crawled beside him on the bed and wrapped her arms around him. The sheets were drenched with sweat, and his entire body trembled as she held him.
    "Shh, it's okay, Shane. You're having a bad dream," she cajoled, as she rocked him back and forth. He silently slid his arms around her waist and clung to her. He buried his face in the front of her nightgown and sobbed.
    Neither of them spoke. He cried until his ragged breathing eased into the normal, smooth rhythm of slumber. When she was certain he had drifted back to sleep, she gently unwrapped his arms from around her body and wandered back down the hall to her own bed.

Chapter Nineteen

    Star slept fitfully for the rest of the night. Something about seeing a grown man weeping like a baby had been disconcerting for her. She worried about how she was going to face him. Would it be awkward? Would he be embarrassed? Or more importantly, would she ?
    Just before sunrise, she abandoned the idea of getting any more sleep, and climbed from the bed. She gathered her clothes for a long, hot shower. She hoped the hot water would dislodge the myriad of inappropriate thoughts. Fantasies about what she wanted to do to -- and with -- Shane had started to march through her sleep-deprived brain, as well as her sex-starved libido.
    Star knew Shane was too young for anything more than a casual fling. He'd barely begun to live his life, and in her thirty years, she'd already lived enough for both of them. There was an undeniable attraction, she couldn't dispute that. Holding him, comforting him, as she had just a few short hours ago left her craving more of his touch.
    She gritted her teeth and turned up the water temperature as she scrubbed her body. Why are the men I'm attracted to always wrong for me? Maybe I need to let myself be interested in a smart, science guy with a big brain for a change. An age appropriate one, preferably.
    After her shower, she wiped the fog from the mirror and studied her tired face. She smoothed the skin around her eyes, wondering how much a facelift would set her back. A close-up inspection revealed more than a couple new gray hairs had sprouted, seemingly overnight, as well.
    "Are you going to be much longer?" Shane's muffled voice asked from the other side of the bathroom door, causing her to jump.
    "Just a few more minutes, sorry," she answered. She hurriedly dried off and scrambled into her clothes. When she opened the door, he sat on the floor facing her, his back against the wall. He gave her a lopsided, mischievous grin, and warmth pooled inside of her. She smiled back and said, "Sorry, I guess I kind of lost track of time."
    "No worries. As long as there's some hot water left, I don't mind." He held his hand out to her. "Help me up, Blue."
    She tugged him to his feet, and when he squeezed her hand affectionately she tingled all over. Holy hell, is it wrong that I want to do him right here in the hallway ? Her mouth became dry, and she licked her lips. His eyes followed the flick of her tongue. "All yours," she said hoarsely and quickly went back to her room.
    She couldn't be sure, it may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard him say, "I wish," before he disappeared into the bathroom.
    The hot shower combined with the hallway encounter had left Star overheated. She fanned herself and sat on the corner of her bed. If he had remembered having the nightmare, or her rocking him back to sleep afterwards, it wasn't evident in the playful smile he'd given her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Was