Page 120 of Gideon
“And for you?”
Her question took me by surprise.
“For me?” I repeated her question as I dropped the cloth into the warm water, wrapping my arms around her waist just below her breasts. “For me, there has never been anything in my life that was more exquisite than that moment, seeing you fall apart in rapture. You trusted me so fully to support you. Did you feel supported?”
“I felt supported,” she readily answered, her arms covering my own as she nuzzled back into my chest. “I felt support and love and a peace that I didn’t expect. I know you spoke of it, and often, but I never thought it was something I could truly achieve. Not on that level.”
“I’m glad. More than glad,” I answered honestly, feeling a reverence floating between us. “Now, how about we both dry off and take this cuddle session to the bed?”
“Ready for round two already, Mr. Temple?” she teased, giggling as I tickled her sides gently beneath the water’s surface.
“I’ll take any round you want to give me, Mrs. Temple. For the rest of my life.” The words were not ones I chose lightly, and yet I wasn’t sure I’d ever spoken anything as true as those I had just uttered.
I helped her step out of the tub, but before I could stand and join her, she stopped me.
“And for the rest of mine, Gideon.” She gave me a small smile, and a raised eyebrow. That little bit of sass that she held onto in almost every situation seated itself deep in my heart, right alongside my love for her.
We cuddled in bed, both of us clean, sated, and full of more happiness than either of us had experienced in the prior years.
Long moments later, when our words had long ended, I found myself still unable to sleep. The words we had spoken and the dreams we had shared filled my mind with more hope than I had ever dared to dream. I had dreams. I had plans for the future. The life I wanted to build after we left this place was solid and firmly situated in my mind. But suddenly those thoughts were no longer fixated on a solitary life. I could see us on the Ataraxia, just the two of us as we sailed from port to port, exploring unknown places with not a care in the world. Only the two of us and the open water. I couldn’t hold back the smile of contentment that spread over my face as thoughts jumbled together in my sleep addled brain.
I pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, the wild tresses of her hair tickling my nose. Her breathing became steady and calm as sleep claimed her. Her relaxed body curled into mine, drawing my exhaustion to the forefront as my eyelids drooped and sleep threatened to take over. Before sleep could claim me, I remembered my phone. It had buzzed in the middle of our scene and, as enticing as the idea was, I didn’t want to leave it until morning.
Carefully, I reached over to the side table, my fingertips barely able to reach it as I pulled it forward inch by inch until I could wrap my hand around the device. I quickly plugged in my passcode. It was a text message on our group thread.
I hoped it was from Levi. We hadn’t heard from him since he had left two days ago on the trip with the Elders. I had to admit, not having all of them at work every day had been a welcome reprieve. At the very least, I didn’t have to worry about quite as many eyes following each of us day to day.
I opened the message.
And my heart nearly stopped as my stomach plummeted.
Levi’s message was brief.
They know I know.
