Page 62 of Wish For Me

Leif chuckles softly into my hair, slowing for a moment.

“What? Was that corny?” I whisper.

“No. It was perfect. I just—I was going to be cornier.”

I laugh. “Tell me.”

He brushes hair from my cheek, rolling his hips so pleasure ripples through me, threatening to steal my attention.

“I never told you, but I already knew what was up there, between the stars. I knew before I went up. I knew the moment I met you.”

“What was it?” My words are tight as my climax threatens to take me.

“It was you, Noelle,” he says. “It was always you.”

He presses both sides of me with his hands then, one splayed on my back, the other on my belly, his thumb working my clit fast now as he thrusts hard now, my body bouncing on his.

A moment later we reach the precipice and leap off together, both of us rigid and shaking and crying each other’s names.

I don’t care how corny it is. I don’t care about anything but Leif and me and how right in this moment it feels like all my wishes have come true.

CHAPTER19

Leif

At some point we pulled out Enzo’s old camping gear, which includes his Scouts uniform, which I’ll have to remember to tease him about if I ever leave this place. “He used to wear this thing all the time. He treated it like he was 007 or something.”

When Noelle laughs, it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. So is she, sprawled out in front of the crackling fire on the sleeping bags and air mattress set-up we’ve made. While Noelle talks about being in Girl Guides, and how she unsuccessfully lobbied for a badge in drama, I lie next to her, wondering how I ever got to be so lucky.

Forget space. Forget anything but this woman. She’s the only thing I want for Christmas. For my whole life.

“What?” Noelle asks.

I’ve been staring.

I love you.

But the last thing I want to do is scare her off. I know she said it too, but I still feel like this is tenuous. Like I might spook her by saying all the things I want to say now that we’re not in the throes of it. So I lie back next to her, slip my arm gently under her neck and pull her against me, my heart pounding like I said it. Knowing I probably will if we stay quiet for too long.

“Leif?” Noelle asks after a moment.

“Yeah.”

“What’s your Christmas wish?”

I peer down at her face, which is tipped up to mine. “I think I already got it.”

She laughs, splaying her hand on my bare stomach, brushing her fingers against the trail of hair I’ve got there. “No, really. If you could have anything in the world—that’s not this—what would it be? Seeing as you already fulfilled your childhood dream.”

I consider that, looking at the snow swirling outside in the dark, listening to the snap and pop of the fire. “I guess I’d wish for a life where a couple of people might care about the thoughts and ideas I have about the universe.” I stroke her hair. “I always dreamed about writing a book.”

“I read about a hundred books about the moon when you were gone,” she says. “But you’re not talking about a novel are you?”

“No. I don’t think I’d be any good at that.” I consider my thoughts. “I want to write about how we’re not alone. How there’s so much out there that can help people down here. And if someone could pay me while I do that I guess that would be ideal.”

“The university will pay you,” she says softly.

“They’d expect more academic work from me than I want to give them, I think.”

---