"Jay, wake up," Allie said in a calm voice.

She placed a warm hand over his bare chest and shook a little. His fist arced up in retaliation, nearly catching her in the side of the head. Allie had been expecting it and was able to duck the hit. She had been trying to wake him up for ten minutes. She was kneeling beside him wearing a light grey nightshirt. She'd slipped it over her head when she realized Jay was having a nightmare and unable to wake up.

She hadn't ...