He seems paler than he was a minute ago. Losing a layer, even in this warm bathroom, makes him colder. And I’m not Ms. Hot Water Bottle anymore. This house isn’t the equator.
Cobalt and ink trails were running across his chest, larger veins showing up, more pronounced than the ones that had faded from his face and fingers.
Penny stared, following the map from a silent heart to an alabaster hip.A maze. So many veins, the body has so many veins, little highways of life that we never see...
I saw so much of Brax today. He saw so much of me. He shows me so many things. I told him so many things.
He listened. Held me. Good friend.Her body trembled, but it was nothing compared to the sudden vibration in her chest. I let him in. Took him inside me. He did the same thing. Let me in.
“Get in,” she demanded, and grabbed his hand with surprising strength for a sickly, feverish woman.
He obeyed, and there was a splash, and a sudden burst of energy from two weak people, jostling for position, finally finding themselves kneeling, tongues sparring as they seemed to try to devour each other.
“So warm. So good,” Brax moaned.
“Yeah. You are.”
Well, that brought a swift end to the proceedings. Brax reeled back, would have broken contact if she hadn’t stubbornly retained her grip on his arms. “What did you say?”
“You’re good. Good to me. You help me. Good friend.”
Brax looked at her. “You’re not entirely well.”
“You just now noticed?” Penny laughed harshly.
“I mean... You can trust a person without saying they’re good.”
“Are you saying you’re not?”
“I’m saying... I’m willing to try, but I don’t want you to get disappointed that I’m not always like this. Not always as good as I should be. Then, you’ll think I failed—and you’ll leave.”
Penny’s eyebrows jumped up to her hairline. “There’s some tragic backstory there, isn’t there?”
“Something about a girl leaving a poor boy for a rich man, so he got into a card game that put him in way, way over his head.” Brax tapped the white scar on his neck.
“Ohhh, I bet there are more details, too... But I don’t need them all. I’m not leaving as long as you’re trying—and the only one you bite is me. If I like it, that is,” Penny added hastily.
“I won’t do things you don’t like.”
“That’s one of the reasons I trust you. Kiss me again?” Penny smiled up at him, eyes fluttering shut.
“Kiss you forever, if you’ll let me.”
Chapter Nine
