“I promised I wouldn’t do that and so”—she held her handsout to the sides—“I’m not.”
“Maxine,” he forced out.
“Satrine,” she corrected gently.
“You are not that,” he whispered.
She nodded.“Maxine knows I’m her, and she’s me.Don’t askme to explain.I just think she’s in there, somewhere, deep in her head.Wedon’t give her enough credit.But I’mSatrinehere,and not only because I think it will help with any confusion.”
“You didn’t come here to end things with me.”He stated it,but it was a question.
“I came here thinking you were going to end things with me,and ready to beg you not to exit Maxine’s life.I came here ready, no matterhow much it would kill me, to promise I would absent myself when you visited.You saved her from that situation in the cellar, and until today, I didn’trealize how deeply she experienced that and depends on you to keep her safe.Iprobably should have, but I didn’t.So it would harm her, I think, if you—”
“Cease speaking, darling.”
The instant he called her “darling,” her eyes filled withtears.
“I love you to my soul.It’s like you’re a part of me.I’mscared as fuck of losing you,” he whispered.
Her face grew tender.“I can’t tell the future, honey, butright now, I’m right here.”
“Come to me,” he ordered.
“Meet in the middle?”she offered.
“Fuck yes,” he replied.
They didn’t meet in the middle.
They collided there.
She wasSatrine, so she went for akiss.
Instead, Loren swept her up in his arms and began to exitthe room.
“What are you doing?”she demanded.
“Taking you to bed.”
She clearly didn’t mind that, but asked, “Can we kissfirst?”
“Not if you don’t want to consummate our love on the parlorfloor.”
“I don’t want that, but Loren, we—”
He looked down at her as he took the steps, two at a time.
“You’ve had others.”He grinned at her.“I am thebeneficiary of your experience, as you are of mine.”
Her astonished eyes on his mouth, she asked, “You’re notangry?”
“Why would I be?”
“Dudes like virgins.”
“Dudes?”
“Men.”
