Page 56 of All the Beautiful Things
“That must have been hard, to always say goodbye to people.”
She’d hit the nail on the head. I didn’t admit it often. “Sometimes, yeah. Knowing they were going back to homes that weren’t safe. That was hard.”
I cleared my throat and squeezed her chest against my side. “I’m wiped, sweetheart. Can we pick this up tomorrow?”
She kissed my chest and yawned. “Sure, Hudson.”
Moments later, she was asleep, her breaths settling and deepening. It was too much longer when my own eyes closed, blocking out memories that usually brought me darkness.
But that night was different.
I slept in peace, even after thinking of my mom.
And I slept well, because the woman I loved decided to give me another chance.
It was the middle of the night, the sky still pitch black when she reached for me, woke me with hands at my chest and her lips following. I gave her everything she silently asked for, unable to deny her anything.
And in the morning, with the sky barely peeking above the horizon, it was me who woke first, craving her once more.
I woke her with my fingers and mouth and pleasure and when I was done, fulfilling my earlier promise of reduce her to nothing but sounds and screams, she returned the favor, loving me with her heart and her body, no spoken words necessary.
She didn’t need to say the words I spoke to her last night.
I felt them in every touch and kiss and in her forgiveness alone.
What changed your mind?I’d asked last night.
You did.She’d spoken with utter conviction and peace. The truth of it so simply honest, so difficult for her to give.
* * *
I was in her kitchen,digging in her fridge for something to make for breakfast when Lilly appeared. I was dressed only in my boxers from yesterday after a quick shower where Lilly stayed in bed, groaning about sore hips and abs and muscles due to all my work—much to the benefit of my ego—when she made her appearance. She was disheveled with her hair down and a mess from curls last night, but she’d washed her face and slipped into leggings and a sweatshirt.
No bra, based on the sway of her breasts as she came to me.
The sight of Lilly stole my breath. Beautiful. Messy. Perfect. Knowing I had a part in messing her up sent a punch of desire to my dick.
“You don’t have eggs,” I said, stupidly, while gaping at her.
“I don’t really like eggs.” Moving to the small coffee pot I’d already readied, she poured her own drink, taking it black. She glanced at me over her shoulder where I still gaped at her like she was naked and it was my first time seeing flesh. “Is that offensive to you?”
“What?”
“That I don’t like eggs.”
Chuckling, I went to her and slid my arm around her, placing my palm at her stomach. “No. But it still reminds me how much we know of each other and how little we don’t. And why didn’t you tell me this the last time?”
She shrugged, a soft pink hue darkening her cheeks. “It’d been a hard day, a hard morning.”
“You’re a nut. I wouldn’t have cared but thank you for telling me now.” I kissed her temple. “Good morning, beautiful.”
She grinned at me over her shoulder. “You already said that.”
“Is there a quota on cared, how many times a day I can?”
The blush on her cheeks burned hotter and darker. Lilly was hard and distrustful. Her softness when she blushed by my words alone made me want to thump my fist to my chest in a barbaric male cry of victory.
“Well, no.”
