Page 236 of The One
I keep the compress there for another few minutes, then set it aside and retrieve a small tube from the nightstand drawer.
Mari lifts a questioning eyebrow, too tired for words.
“Cooling gel,” I explain, squeezing a generous amount onto my fingers before massaging it into her tender flesh.
“Oh,” she sighs, melting into the mattress. “This feels nice.”
“I’m glad.” I smirk, watching her eyes flutter shut. While her comfort is my main priority, this aftercare isn’t entirely selfless. “This should help… so when we wake up, you’ll be ready for more. Now that I know what it’s like to be inside you, I’ll want in all the time.”
Her lips curl into a lazy smile. “I want that too.”
I go to wash my hands, and when I return, I slide into bed beside her, pulling her into my arms.
Mari snuggles into me, pressing a tender kiss to my chest.
“Good night, husband,” she murmurs.
“Good night, wife.”
We’re floating lazily in the heated pool the next day, the warm water protecting us from the wintry chill in the air. After hours of lovemaking, we needed a rest, and the gentle weightlessness soothes our spent muscles.
I should be content. Iamcontent. More than that, I’m happy, blissfully so. And yet, guilt gnaws at the edges of my peace.
Mari’s fingers thread through mine, grounding me.
“What’s troubling you?” she asks, her voice gentle, her eyes searching mine.
I hesitate.
“I was thinking of Tiero. And how I don’t know what he decided in the end. It seems wrong to be this happy when I should be mourning his absence.”
She’s quiet for a moment, considering my words. I appreciate that she doesn’t rush to give me empty reassurances or tell me what she thinks I want to hear. Instead, she shifts closer, her free hand skimming over my chest, a soothing caress that eases some of the tightness inside me.
“I get it,” she murmurs. “It feels like a betrayal, doesn’t it?”
I nod, my throat too tight for words. She understands. Of course she does.
“But it’s not, Teo,” she continues, her tone steady, full of quiet conviction. “It’s life moving forward.”
I swallow hard. The truth in her words is undeniable, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept.
She squeezes my hand gently. “If Tiero is gone, he wouldn’t want you trapped in grief. He’d be the first to tell you to live life to the fullest. None of us know how long we have, especially in our world.
“And if he’s alive, wherever he is, he’d still tell you to be happy. It’s what he always wanted for you.”
Her thumb strokes over mine, her eyes so open, so full of love, that my chest tightens even more.
“You don’t have to let go of him to hold on to this,” she whispers, pointing between the two of us. “You can grieve for him and still be happy with me. You can honor his memory and still choose your own future. That’s not wrong, Teo. That’s being human.”
I exhale slowly, letting some of the guilt go.
Mari lifts my hand to her lips, pressing a soft kiss against my knuckles. But that’s not enough for me. I cup her face, my thumb brushing against her cheek, and kiss her, pouring every unspoken emotion into it.
She sighs against my lips before pulling back, averting her gaze.
“Speaking of guilt,” she murmurs, “part of me thinks I should mourn my father. Just because he gave me life. But when I remember he’s gone, all I feel is relief that he can’t hurt people anymore.”
I run my fingers through her wet hair. “His body will have been discovered by now. News of his death will have spread. Are you… resenting what I did in any way?”
