Toby softened his gaze at the sight of Sonia lying there. He gently pulled his hand out of hers so he wouldn't wake her, then lightly stroked her hair.
If she was here next to him, then Tom had clearly told her about the accident. She must have been startled when she heard the news, Toby thought grimly, and an apologetic look flashed across his features as he reached to tuck her hair behind her ear so that it wasn’t all in her face.
Then, he drew his hand back and lifted the covers. He slid out of bed and came over to her side, thereafter bending down to scoop her into his arms.
Meanwhile, Sonia had not fallen into a deep slumber, and she started as soon as she felt someone touching her. Her eyes flew open, and the first thing she saw was a familiar and handsomely chiseled face.
At first, she thought she might be imagining things, so she blinked hard to snap out of it.
However, when she saw that the same face was still there, she knew that she was not delusional. It's really him, she thought as she broke into an elated grin. "Toby, you’re—"
She broke off when she suddenly felt that there was something off about the weightless sensation that gripped her. Turning, she was astonished to find that at some point, Toby had swept her into his arms.
"You're awake," Toby pointed out softly as he gazed down at her. "Sorry for waking you."
She shook her head. "It's fine. I wasn't really sleeping that well, anyway. What are you doing, though? Put me down right now." He was still injured, and he ought not to be straining himself by carrying her in his arms.
However, he brushed her off and only put her down on the bed, in the same spot where he had laid. "If you kept sleeping the way you did just now, you're going to wake up tomorrow morning with a crick in your neck and your back. I wanted to let you have the bed so you could sleep better, but it looks like I woke you up instead."
"Oh," Sonia said with a smile, acknowledging his efforts. There was still residual warmth on the bed where he lay just now, and she felt snug and comfortable as soon as her back touched the mattress. Coupled with what he had said earlier, she couldn't help the rush of warm sentiments that seized her.
"But you shouldn't be too concerned about me. You're still a patient, after all, and this bed is meant for you, not me. Here, you can have it back," Sonia said, reaching to lift the covers off her so she could get out of bed.
Toby frowned and pinned the covers down, tucking her in firmly as he said authoritatively, "Do as you're told and just go to sleep already. Do not get down from the bed, understand?"
She gaped at him in mild amusement. "There's no need to be so controlling."
He caressed her face lovingly. "I'm not being controlling; I just can't bear to see you uncomfortable, is all."
This made her heart swell, and the smile on her face grew even warmer.
"Okay, go to sleep. I can still see how groggy you are. You must be tired after I woke you up accidentally earlier." With that, he began to rearrange the covers.
She hummed in response before suddenly scooting further to the side, then patted the space next to her on the bed.
He raised a brow. "What are you doing?”
"I know the bed isn't very big, but I'm sure we could squeeze in together.
Come over here and take a nap with me," she said, staring at him.
He wouldn't let her get down from the bed, and she couldn’t very well make a patient slouch over the side of the bed, so she decided that the only solution was for them to share the bed.
Toby's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Is that an invitation?"
She rolled her eyes at him in mock exasperation, then said, "Yes, it is. Now, can you please get into bed with me, my dear Mr. Fuller?"
He was amused, but he kept up an oh-very-well expression as he let out a dry cough and muttered, "Fine, then. Since you've ottered, I see no reason to upset you by rejecting it."
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