She tried to fight against his hold, the same way she tried to fight against knowing his sincerity, but both were too strong to resist. Exhausted and miserable, she let him cradle her, and lulled by his warmth and words drifted back to sleep.
Derek didn’t move when she fell asleep. It was actually kind of soothing for him to be taking care of someone besides himself. He laid back on the couch and let her sleep for as long as she wanted, drifting off into his own dreams after some time had passed.
Summer didn’t know how long she slept, held against Derek’s chest, but when she opened her eyes again the room was bright. It had been a long time since she’d been able to sleep that well, but even as she woke up she remembered her decision from the night before.
As carefully as she could, she slipped away from Derek, trying not to wake him, and crept toward the door. Best if she just vanished, and he forgot she existed.