He lay them down and she was everywhere—soft thighs bracketing his hips, hands on his chest, hair falling around them like a curtain.
The lace felt like an obstruction, too tight, too much. But Lauren's eyes went dark when she looked down at where their bodies pressed together.
“Is it weird that I like this?” she murmured, fingers tracing the edge where it sat against his hip.
He could feel the warmth of her fingers through the lace. “I wore it for you.”
Her smile was so full of affection that Tom's throat went tight.
His hands found her hips. The curve of them fit his palms perfectly, soft and full and exactly right. He sat up, bringing her with him, her legs wrapping around his waist as their mouths found each other again. This angle was even better—her bodypressed against him, her hands in his hair, her thighs soft and warm around him.
The lace stretched taut between them, pulled tight where he strained toward her. He could feel the heat of her through the thin fabric.
"Tom." Her hands tightened in his hair.
His lips moved against her throat. "Tell me what you need."
"You." She pulled back just enough to look at him, her eyes dark and sure. "I need you."
Fabric peeled away in warm, messy handfuls—bra, jeans, that ridiculous, wonderful, absurd red lace.
And then it was just them. Just Tom and Lauren, finally finding their way back to each other.
"Come here," she whispered, pulling him down.
And he went.
CHAPTER 59
Lauren
Afterward,the room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing. Moonlight filtered through the curtains, silvering the edge of the quilt.
Lauren lay with her head on Tom's shoulder, her fingertips tracing slow, absent circles on his chest. His skin was warm beneath her hand, the steady rise and fall grounding her in a way she hadn't felt in months.
Neither of them spoke at first. The silence wasn't awkward. It felt full—of what they'd said without words, of what still lingered in the air between them.
He shifted slightly, pressing a kiss to her hairline. "You okay?"
She nodded, the movement brushing against his skin. "Yeah," she whispered. Then, after a beat, "You?"
He let out a breath that sounded like a laugh. "Good.Reallygood."
She smiled against his shoulder. "You worelace," she said softly. Her voice caught on the last word.
He looked down at her. "It was my turn."
Her throat tightened. "You looked…" She stopped, searching for the right word. "You looked likeyou. The you I fell in love with."
He was quiet for a long moment. Then, "I don't think I knew who that was for a while."
Lauren's fingers stilled against his chest. "And now?"
"Now I'm trying to find him again." He turned his head toward her, eyes dark and unguarded. "If you'll let me."
Her heart fluttered—an old ache, tender and new all at once.
She could still feel the weight of everything between them: the mistakes, the hurt, the slow rebuilding. But beneath it all was something else—trust, fragile but real.
