Page 136 of The Sun and Her Star

Happy

Apollo

“He’s okay, Helena …”

“I want to kill her. I’m so glad you tried on my behalf,” she says, and I can hear the seething anger in her voice.

“I know,” I say. There isn’t much else.

“I’m catching a flight in the morning. Tell him I love him.”

“I will. See you soon.” I hang up.

The district attorney reduced my charges. I have to go back to court, but Mr. Kimball thinks I’ll get a few hours of community service and maybe probation. It makes me wish I’d made today count. I’m going to have a police record now anyway. I wish I’d done real damage to her. What a fucking bitch. After he told me the story on the plane, my mind reeled. I couldn’t believe she was blackmailing him after she got rich off him. I only stayed at Central Booking long enough to hear that they had brought her in. Caught her at the airport trying to catch a flight to Cancun. I’d watched the footage over and over on my way home. Her nose was a mess.

I was home in time to catch one of the many repeats of Graham’s interview. My heart broke over and over again as I watched him. I took a shower and then headed to his place.

I stick my keycard in the elevator’s security slot and press four when the light turns green. If he’s here, he’ll know I’m coming up. I hope to God he’s okay.

When the elevator door starts to open, I hold my breath. All the lights are on. I walk in and turn them off as I make my way to his bedroom. He’s passed out on his bed, on his stomach. Seeing his face completely unobscured by his hair is jarring. I can’t believe he cut it off. Then, I kick my shoes off, pull my yoga pants down and step out of them. I pull my T-shirt off and drop it on the floor. I walk over to his bed, lift up the sheet that’s covering him and slide in next to him. As soon as my bare back touches the warm wall of chest, his arms wrap around my waist.

Like me, he’s only wearing underwear. The steady rise and fall of his warm, muscular chest is in sync with my own breathing. The dull thud of his heart against my back is an echo of mine. I nestle my ass in to the cradle his lap has made for me and move my legs against his. I shiver as the wiry hairs brush against the backs of my calves and thighs

He wraps his big arms around and bends to put his head on my shoulder. “I fell asleep, I’m so tired,” he says. His voice is slurred. “I’m so happy you’re here.” He nestles his face into the back of my neck, and in what feels like seconds, he’s asleep.

Forever

Graham

I woke up on my side facing Apollo. She had thrown the covers off us in the middle of the night and her small, nearly-naked body was curled into a ball, and her head was resting on top of her folded hands. It’s like the sun knows she’s worthy of its praise and attention and it covers her in a dappled light that streams in through my bedroom window.

I remember her coming in last night. I was so tired and relieved when she climbed into my bed that all I wanted to do was feel her and sleep knowing that she was next to me. When I opened my eyes, her face was the first thing I saw. My heart nearly stopped.

She still loves me. She came to me. After everything. I’m admiring the line of her hip, and the length of her leg when she finally wakes up.

“Graham?” Her soft, sleepy voice draws my eyes back to her face. She is flushed with sleep, and yet, she’s more radiant than the soft beams of the dawn’s sunlight that are filtering into the room.

We just stare at each other. Our gazes hold a multitude of feelings. Some, for which no words exist. They are more sorrowful than remorse, more poignant than need, and more powerful than love. I feel like I have known this woman in a thousand lives and will in a thousand more …

We don’t need to say a word. But, I want to. “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I wasn’t sure if you’d be home and I didn’t want to go back to the police station. I was so tired, I just—”

She puts a hand on my chest to silence me. “It’s okay. I’m here. We’re home.” She reaches over and runs a hand over my close-cropped hair. Her eyes follow the path of her hand, their expression unreadable. A small smile plays around her lips.

“Do you like it?” I ask.

“Is it on your head?” she quips and all of my anxiety and worry fizzle into nothing.

“Are we okay?” I ask. I hover over her searching her eyes. All I see is everything she’s always given me—love, acceptance, her entire being.

“Yes.” She smiles that smile that has been my favorite thing in the world since I was fourteen years old.

“That feels so good.” I drop my head onto her shoulder and sigh into her neck. “Do you want to talk?”

“We’ve talked enough.” She lifts my free hand and covers her breast with it. She kicks the sheet off and reveals her ridiculous body, bare but for the lacy fabric that barely covers the wet lips of her pussy.

“Please, touch me,” she whispers, and her eyes droop as her back bows off the bed. I knead her small, firm breast and squeeze the nipples between my fingers. I take my hand off her breast and cup her cheek before I lean down and kiss her softly. I groan when her tongue touches mine. It’s a sweet, slow tangle of a kiss that I feel in every part of my body.

I trail kisses down her chin. I nip her neck and suck the rounded column of her collar bones. I lick my way down her breast and then take her sweet nipple into my mouth. I suckle her, and she cries out softly before she comes with a sharp exhalation. She rolls onto me, pressing her body flush against mine and trapping my hand with her pelvis.

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