Penelope helped her up, and together they padded into the bedroom to get ready for bed.
They hadn’t had many quiet evenings like this—unhurried, undisturbed, theirs.
Lucia savored the quiet intimacy of it: curling close, pulling Penelope’s back against her chest, the steady breathing under her palm and inhaling the scent of her hair.
She could get used to all these changes if this was her life now.
It seemed to take no time for her to fall into a deep sleep.
Chapter 37
Aches and Pains
Penelope stirred, stretching as her eyes fluttered open. A soft smile formed on her lips when she remembered where she was and found Lucia curled up against her, still deeply asleep. The clock on the nightstand read 8:02. Early still, for a Sunday.
A lazy Sunday morning she hoped they’d spend together.
These last months had left their mark on her, especially Lucia’s accident.
She understood Francesca all too well. Just the thought of how close she’d come to losing Lucia left a hollow ache in her chest.
Penelope trailed a finger down Lucia’s cheek. She couldn’t believe they were here. Not just because of the accident or the entire forgery saga, no.
This—them. She’d allowed this to happen. No, even that was wrong. It had just…happened. And Penelope hadn’t even noticed it.
Maybe that was why it had happened at all.
Lucia twitched, and Penelope withdrew her finger, loath to wake her.
But too late—Lucia’s eyes opened, blinking slowly. She hummed, reaching out for Penelope and pulling her close.
“Good morning,” she breathed, nestling against Penelope’s neck.
Shivering, Penelope entangled their legs. They’d not been intimate since the accident, and even though the doctor had cleared Lucia for sex, Penelope preferred to wait until she was fully healed.
However, the way Lucia pulled her close, the tight grip on Penelope’s waist, her clever tongue dancing along the skin of her neck proved their intentions werenotaligned.
Penelope gasped when Lucia added her teeth and rasped along her skin, slotting her thigh between Penelope’s legs.
She forced herself to pull back. “We shouldn’t.”
“Why? Skittish about morning breath? We can make a quick pit stop to the bathroom if you want.”
Lucia’s breath was warm on her skin, and Penelope’s pulse kicked up at the featherlight contact.
Penelope rolled her eyes. “I’mskittishabout hurting you.”
“Aww, you’re so sweet.” Lucia drew closer and whispered in her ear. “I missed you terribly, and I had plans for you last night, so please don’t ruin them this morning, too.”
“Ruin them?Youfell asleep on the couch!”
A rough chuckle left Lucia’s lips. “True, but that doesn’t change the problem at hand.”
“Which is?”
“I’m aching for you.”
Penelope bit her lower lip, drawn closer by the intense expression in Lucia’s eyes.
