The Awakening Read Online Free

“You’d be waking up the whole household, with such caterwaulin’! Do you have these nightmares often, young lady?”
    â€œNo, no . . . of course, not!” Megan called.
    â€œAs you can see,” Finn told Fallon irritably, “everything is perfectly all right in here.”
    â€œActually, young man, there’s not all that much I can see—since it’s so darned dark and all. But we don’t take kindly to folks fighting around here—not in Huntington House. We’re a fine establishment with a good reputation.”
    â€œOf course,” Finn said.
    â€œThe Merrills have a reputation in these parts, too,” he said, referring to Megan’s family.
    She wasn’t sure if the reputation her family had garnered was good or bad.
    â€œI’m honestly sorry, Mr. Fallon. There were too many tales filling my head when I fell asleep, I believe.”
    â€œHumph!”
    â€œI had a nightmare,” Megan said, her tone quiet but firm. She thought she resented Mr. Fallon. She was suddenly certain he didn’t think much of the Merrill family at all.
    â€œSee that you keep it down,” Fallon said. “There can be no more such outbursts—sir!” He had started speaking to Megan; he ended with a word of warning for Finn.
    â€œGood night,” Finn said.
    Fallon nodded, and moved off. Reluctantly, so it seemed.
    Finn closed the door. Darkness descended with the night-lights gone from the hall. But a second later the room was flooded with light as Finn hit the switch at the side of the door. He leaned against the door, crossing his arms over his chest, staring at Megan.
    â€œHe thinks I was beating you.”
    â€œOh, Finn, surely not—”
    â€œEveryone knows we’ve just gotten back together.”
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous. Fallon doesn’t know a thing about us.”
    â€œWell, he seems to know all about your family, and therefore, he probably knows we’ve just gotten back together, and he surely thinks you made a major mistake and that I was about to slit your throat before he arrived.”
    â€œFinn, stop it. Surely, somewhere in his life, sometime before, someone has woken up from a nightmare, screaming.”
    â€œYou think? I’ve never woken up before next to a woman screaming loudly enough to burst my eardrums.”
    â€œDammit, Finn, I’ve said I’m sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose! I had a dream, a really terrible nightmare. Someone was going to kill me!” she said, surprised to feel a hint of the fear rising within her again, as if it would choke off her speech. “In fact, a little sympathy would be in order.”
    He stood, still distant, staring at her for a long moment. Even the way he looked now, far too tall for the terry bathrobe, legs seeming impossibly long and honed beneath the white hem, she loved him so much. From his tousled dark hair to his bare feet. Things were so tenuous between them, now. Before . . . once, before, she would have flown from the bed and into his arms. But only a month had passed since they’d been back together, a month since he’d driven up the East Coast to Maine, come to her folks’ house, and laid everything on the line.
    â€œFinn!” she said, still shaky, and growing angry herself.
    â€œExcuse me, you nearly dislocated my jaw, Megan.”
    â€œWhy can’t you understand? I was deeply sleeping. I had a nightmare. A really terrifying nightmare.”
    A muscle twitched in his cheek. Hair wild, arms folded over his chest, wearing the ridiculous robe, he was both imposing and appealing. He had a great face. Not too pretty. Classical, masculine structure, strong chin line, solid, defined cheekbones, fine, full mouth, dead straight, aristocratic nose. Not small, not too prominent. Deep green eyes set beneath a broad brow, rich dark hair. He was a natural athlete, thus in good shape no matter what his situation in life. Now,