Page 108 of A Good Book

“Hi, baby,” I said before kissing her little bump. I could have spent hours on my knees, working through my fears while talking to the life we made, but after a minute, she grabbed my hoodie and tugged it so I’d stand. Then she lifted onto her toes, and I met her halfway for a kiss.

While our lips fused, she unzipped my hoodie, resting her hands on my chest for a few breaths before unbuttoning my jeans. I pulled away just enough to look at her.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, biting her lip, cheeks stained pink.

I shrugged my hoodie off my shoulders and peeled off my T-shirt. Gabby removed her sweater and leggings. The second my jeans were off, she slid her hands around my neck and we kissed. I unhooked her bra as we stepped closer to the bed. Everything felt different.

Gabby officially felt like mine.

I took my time kissing her where she liked to be kissed—between her legs. When I worked my way up her body and sucked her nipple into my mouth, she arched her back. As I guided my cock between her legs, her hips jerked. And the second I sank into her, she flinched. It wasn’t funny, but I couldn’t help but smile.

“Our baby will hurt you more,” I mumbled.

She grabbed my face and narrowed her eyes, saying so much without saying a word. I kissed her, and we moved slowly together until I couldn’t move slowly any longer. I didn’t want to hurt her, but nothing felt like being inside of her.

Her lips moving against mine.

Her breasts pressed to my chest.

I was in Heaven.

I found myself breaking our kisses to look at her because I couldn’t hear her. It was like I needed to check in, even though her fingernails in my back and her hips lifting from the bed to meet mine were more than enough reassurance that she wanted to keep going.

After we finished, I rolled to the side and tucked her under my arm. My eyes burned, staring at the bunk bed above us. I would never hear her moan or say my name.

Ask for more.

Whisper words of love while having sex.

No contented sighs.

Nothing.

Would I ever stop mourning the loss of my hearing? Would I ever stop thinking of all the parts of life that I could no longer enjoy?

She drew a heart on my chest with the tip of her finger, so I grabbed her hand and kissed her palm.

“I love you, too, Gabriella.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT

THE PLATTERS, “ONLY YOU”

Gabby

It was weird.When I woke the next morning, I no longer recognized the Ben I grew up with.

He stood at my desk, thumbing through one of my textbooks. Shirt off. Jeans on, but not zipped or buttoned. Hair a chaotic mess.

Nope. No sign of best friend Ben.

The guy scratching the back of his head and yawning was hot Ben.

Sexy Ben.

Boyfriend Ben.

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