I woke up when I felt his hand on my knee. Jake lifted my leg off the barrier-pillow and gently pushed it back to my side of the bed. My eyes opened to a room lit with murky gray light. I saw him just lying there on his back, staring up at the ceiling and looking like he’d never sleep again. I sat up then, shoving a fistful of hair out of my face. Leaning across the barrier-pillow toward him, I touched his jaw, guiding his gaze to mine. He frowned at me and tried to readjust the barrier, but I grabbed his hand and placed it boldly on my bare thigh.
“You’re alive. You’re meant to feel. I don’t resent you for that, or wanting to feel me. There is no shame in it, so stop feeling guilty. I have been to hell and back, Jake. It didn’t destroy me and it tried to. I know I’m not fragile. You won’
