“Tell me about this?” I traced two fingers over the raised texture of the ink, feeling the heat of her skin underneath.
“Hmm?” She turned her head, leaning back to see what I meant. “Oh,” her cheeks flushed pink. “That’s my feather.”
“Your feather,” I huffed in amusement, still running my fingers over it as goosebumps erupted across her skin. I felt her nipples harden against my chest and nipped at her lip. “What does it mean? I know it’s not random. Nothing you do is random.”
“Maybe it is,” she smirked. I pinched her side in response, earning me a squeak. “Okay!” She laughed. “I got it just after my diagnosis and Graham dumping me. After my mother’s disappointment and then landing the Legends contract.”
My jaw clenched and she smoothed her fingers over it before kissing it lightly.
“It’s a phoenix feather. Rebirth after destruction,” she deposited another kiss on my neck, threading her fingers into my hair as she moved to kiss my lips. “But also my Dumbo feather. Reminding me I know how to fly.”
She bit softly at my lower lip, smoothing it over with her tongue before licking gently, requesting access. I opened my mouth to hers, deepening the kiss as I thought about the significance of what she’d just told me. The more I found out about Alex, the more I wanted to know—the more I needed to know.
She rocked against me once and kissed my jaw again before settling back down—resting her head on my shoulder as her arms slipped around me. I kissed her forehead and held her. We stayed there in the stillness a while longer. The only sound coming from the ticking clock in the kitchen.
“Do you want to come to my room?” her voice was drowsy and happy—hopeful. I had to be very careful.
“More than anything,” I answered honestly. “But Alexandra, I think we both know that if I do, neither one of us is going to get much sleep and you have that work call in the morning.”
“Stupid work,” she tipped her head back so she could look at me. “That’s what I get for girlbossing too close to the sun, I guess.”
“Just like Icarus,” I kissed the tip of her nose.
“Poor Icarus,” she sighed.
“More interestin’ things on the ground though.”
“Agreed.”
Chapter 19
The Chaos Machine has nothing on family traditions
Alex
I woke to sunlight streaming through my bedroom windows and the immediate, visceral memory of Finn’s hands on my skin, his voice saying,“good girl,” his mouth on my...
I shook my head and sat up, heat flooding my face (and body) at the way I’d completely lost control on my own couch like some kind of desperate teenager. But it had been good. Really good.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Tabitha:Hey, just reminding you that you have a call with the VP of Animation Atelier at 8:30.
I responded with a thumbs-up as Holly’s name appeared at the top of the screen with a text that made me groan.
Holly:The twins are BEGGING me to ask if you and Finn want to come to their dance recital tonight. I told them I’d ask but no pressure obviously! 7pm at the middle school near us.
I stared at the message. I’d forgotten about Madison and the twins’ dance recital. My stomach did a somersault.
I heard the toilet flush in the main bathroom and decided to get up as well. I pulled my robe on and padded down the hall.
Finn stood at the counter, wearing nothing but dark red boxer briefs and a t-shirt, straining the cold brew he’d made last night into a pitcher. Two glasses and the carton of oatmilk sat on the counter next to him.
“Morning,” he smiled. “I assume you take your cold brew sans ice, but yes milk?”
“Yes please,” I moved behind him to get a couple of bowls, spoons, and the granola cereal I ate on mornings I was tired of eggs. “Cereal okay for breakfast?”
“Whatever works for you is fine by me, darlin’,” he poured coffee into both glasses. I set the bowls on the island counter and poured cereal into them before picking a banana from my fruit bowl, grabbing a knife and slicing half of it on top of one of them.
