A contented hum rumbles through his chest, the vibration widening my smile. It’s wider still when his arm flexes around me, suffocating me like only he can.
He needs me pressed tight against him, wants my warmth. My soul.Me.
That’s what he’s demanding.
And so do I.
Aching to have more of him, I turn my head slightly and brush a kiss to his chest.
Two fingers slip beneath my chin, tipping my face up.
One fierce second passes, and his gaze locks with mine. “Hi.”
“Hey,” I whisper.
Then his mouth is on me, his teeth and tongue devouring me.
Just as quickly, he tucks me back against his bare chest.
His lips press on the crown of my head, and I sigh, already craving more.
“Trouble.”
“Yes?”
There’s no tighter hug than this. “You’re lost, aren’t you?”
His question…it doesn’t land as a question. It explodes from inside me, shredding my organs. Wrecking my heart.
I swallow hard, choking back the sudden sob rising in my throat.
This is the first time anyone’s cared enough to try to get through to me.
My parents love me. There’s no doubt about that. With every hug between shifts, every proud smile, they’ve proved it.
They also think that loving me means giving me space.
It isn’t. Some days, when Bronwyn’s bullying got really bad, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere. I wished someone would prove me wrong, but I was too afraid to reach out.
Didn’t mean I wanted to be alone. I ached for someone to be there. To see me. Maybe just sit with me. Watch a movie. Eat popcorn.
Even a simple question, like the one Knox has asked me now, would’ve sufficed. Would’ve made a difference. Would’ve told me someone saw how lonely I was.
But no one came.
No one asked.
No one saw me.
Not until him.
His grip on my heart is careful, almost tender. Stroking. Calming.
With a few words, he’s letting me know that he’s found me. That drifting through life belongs to a past that no longer matters.
“I am.” Without the sob clawing at my throat, I can finally speak. My voice is steady. “I’m lost.”
My nails digging into Knox’s chest are the only sign that something’s rattling me.
