Page 70 of Lunar Desires
I dropped my hands, his face my port in a storm.
“I’m here,” he said.
Sniffling, I reached my hand out to him, too worn down to move any other part of me. “Hold me. Please…”
He lay down beside me, curling himself against my trembling, naked body. I rolled onto my side, his arms opening to embrace me. Two muscular security blankets keeping me safe from the demons of this world.
“I’m here,” he said again, kissing the back of my head. “I’m right here.”
****
Eventually, I managed to get off the floor and into a shower.
The hot water washed the muck and difficulties of the day down the drain, my skin grateful for the heat and the carrot cake shower gel.
Alice gave me a bottle a few days ago, telling me it’d change my life.
What a wise witch. I smelled like walking dessert.
Clean, my body a little more relaxed, I scrutinized my face in the mirror.
God, I looked so worn out. Even with the energy of the moon humming in my veins, the mental exhaustion left cobwebs in my mind. I hadn’t felt so lost since my bulimia upturned my life, throwing me into a vicious gauntlet of struggles.
It still clung to me, a sticky monster on my back. Dormant now, under control, but always there. Through therapy, and lots of karaoke, I’d gone to war with it, coming out stronger on the other side.
These were wildly different circumstances, but I’d have to take up arms again. I wasn’t losing myself to this. I wanted to do my duty as The Moon, yet hold on to the components of Riley.
“I’m a fighter.”
I drew a circle on my left palm—a trick my therapist taught me. I used it to assuage the burden of a spiral, the technique an absolute game changer.
“Okay, let’s get dressed,” I told myself, returning to the bedroom.
I went for a pair of loose boxers, some pink sweatpants, and a yellow jumper with a picture of a happy turtle on the front. Nice and bright.
Slipping on my fluffy green bunny slippers, I left the bedroom, gasping for a cup of tea.
Drake waited for me by the stairs beside a painting of the Orion constellation, dressed in sweats, looking so effortlessly scrumptious. He had a soft smile on his face, his nose now healed thanks to my brother, those eyes of his dialed up to the highest smolder setting.
“Alright?” he asked, his hands in his pockets.
I nodded, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.
He licked his lips, his smile widening. “What was that for?”
“For everything.”
How could I be mad at a man who’d put me above himself? And, honestly, if he hadn’t left the mansion, then we wouldn’t have this potential clue Erin had mentioned.
Silver linings tempered the bad stuff, I guess.
So, he gets a free pass?
Ugh. Fine. I’d iron out those pesky wrinkles.
He kissed me on the mouth, just to confuse the wrinkles. “I’ve got some good news.”
My lips tingled, ready for more of his lip action. “I love good news.”
