His shoulders loosen. “Good.”
He leans closer, our foreheads touching now.
“It's only been a week, but it felt like a lifetime. And I don't ever want to feel that lost again.”
Lost is exactly how I felt.
“Elijah, I’m not going anywhere,” I promise him softly. “Notagain.”
Our mouths linger a breath apart, the space between us taut, trembling on the edge of something inevitable. His breath brushes my lips, and the tension stretches, delicate as a thread about to give.
For a suspended moment, neither of us moves until he finally moves, his lips on mine.
He kisses me like it's our first, as if we’re something new he's afraid to break. The loneliness we’ve both carried this past week melts together between us, dissolving into something softer, something whole, until there's nothing left but him.
It feels like being put back together in the simplest way. Like every hollow space in me finally makes sense because he's there to fill it. And even if the rest of the world fell away, even if I had no one else left at all, I know it would still feel like I have everything, just by having him.
Chapter 38
Willow
The last few days with Elijah have been really nice.
We spent the entire afternoon Christmas shopping, wandering through crowded stores and arguing over what to buy for everyone. Somehow, he seemed to enjoy it more than I did.
He told me he has planned something special for my birthday, a weekend getaway together before Christmas, which is tomorrow.
I've tried guessing where he's taking me, but that man refuses to even give me a hint.
River will be staying with Elijah's parents for Christmas, like he usually does, with the rest of the family. Rose hasn't tried planning anything with him. She's not even shown her face lately, but I’m not complaining.
I told him I’m visiting my dad's grave this weekend
Total lie, I know, and he did want to come with me, but I told him just to enjoy himself till I get back.
Elijah's excuse was that he had taken on a big job this weekend at a trucking company just outside of Manchester.
We both hate lying to him, and we will tell him soon.
I don't think either of us can keep sneaking around like this for much longer. It's exhausting pretending nothing is going on when every look, every touch between us says the opposite.
I want the world to know he's mine.
But we agreed it would be better to wait until after Christmas. Neither of us wants to ruin it for him.
Luckily, he hasn't questioned why Elijah and I both happen to be gone at the same weekend.
Although I’m starting to suspect that might have something to do with the girl currently sitting in the front room.
A girl I've never met in my life.
She's stretched out on the sofa like she owns the place, eating her way through my sweets while wearing an oversized top that looks suspiciously like it belongs to River.
I knew River had company over the second they started keeping me awake half the night.
Honestly, I've never wanted to remove my own ears before. Nobody should have to listen to their brother having sex. Ever.
It's traumatic.
