Page 143 of Paper Hearts

His lips press to the top of her head. “You. Her.”

I scoot closer to him, unsure what to say. I run my hand through his wet hair. I don’t want to promise him forever when I don’t know what the future might bring. We have to—for Eddie’s sake—take this one day at a time.

“Are you tired?”

I nod. “A little.”

“I only have one bed. Do you think she can sleep here?”

“On the couch?” He nods. “Yeah. She sleeps anywhere. Floor, couch, bean bag… car. Rarely in a bed,” I tease.

He smiles and stands up with her. “I have an extra blanket around here somewhere.”

“She’s fine.” I motion to her bag on the floor next to the couch. “I have an extra blanket in there somewhere. It’s warm in here. I doubt she’ll need much.”

Sliding off the couch, I retrieve the extra blanket and her pillow while Ender holds her. I lay it out on the couch, and he carefully lays her down. It’s precious watching how gentle he is with her.

His hand finds mine in the darkness. “She looks like you.”

I press my lips to his shoulder. “And you.”

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye and then turns to face me.

He steps closer. My breath catches in my throat, fearing what comes next. We’ve been here before, sure, but this is different. We both laugh lightly, his and my nerves relaxing slightly. I knew what would happen when I walked inside this apartment, but it still didn’t prepare me for how it’d start.

How it starts?

He holds my hand, takes a step back, tugs on it and nods to his room. With my arm extended, candlelight bathing his body, I smile and follow him. We’re quiet as he eases the door closed and locks it behind him. He sets a candle he brought with him on the dresser and then moves to open the window. I step toward his bed and sit down. I’m nervous. He steps between my legs and reaches for the hem of my shirt. I raise my arms without words.

Slowly, he peels the shirt from my body and I’m left in only my panties.

To be fair, he removes his shirt too, leaving us both shirtless. Dropping to his knees in front of me, his hands find my upper thighs.

I run my fingertips over his biceps. “I can’t believe we’re finally alone.”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a week.” His lips find my breasts and I cup the back of his head in my hands. My nipples harden under the warmth of his tongue.

“Taking a lot of showers?” I tease.

He groans, tightening his grip on my thighs. “You have no idea how lonely I was this week.”

“I have an idea….”

“Yeah, but you have her. I’m all alone here.” I hate the sadness in his voice, as if there’s agony inside him, and while I know if he wouldn’t have left, he could have been a part of her life from the beginning, it still doesn’t take away the pain that we missed out on being a family over lies and a past he tried to forget.

The power is still out and the trees sway with the steering winds, lightning painting the black sky silver. My hands tremble as they slide down his shoulders. “You know she’s not going to stay out there if it starts storming.”

“I know.” He pants against my neck, working on his belt between us. “But I can’t wait. It’s been too long.”

He’s right. It has been.

I help him out as he stands, yanking his shorts off him and then my panties follow. He has me on the bed now, his weight between my thighs as his right hand sweeps across my upper thigh, hitching it up his hip. I stare up at him. His gaze is intense. Lifting my head off the pillow, I capture his lips with mine, molding us together.

Reaching between us, he positions himself at my entrance and I catch sight of his smirk when he pushes forward a little. His nose glides across my cheek, gentle kisses following the path. “I love you,” he pants.

I wrap my legs around him tighter. “I love you too.”

“You are so beautiful,” Ender murmurs against my mouth, his words trembling and low.

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