nd getting him settled, I finally collapsed onto the living room couch. It was nearly noon.

The dead silence when the lights ca

e in a cushion. "I'm neve

on the coffee tabl

t night's win tonight. Medical staff

the plane, this was his first text

ofessional. If it's about your rehab, text me.

ing dots appe

hur:

hone onto the

ang. I opened it to find Marc

I'm not interr

food, so you'

the accident, and he never stopped visiting. He walked straight into Ethan's r

ar wave of gratitude. Marcus never acted uncomfor

Marcus unpacked sandwic

g my eye over his mug.

N

y n

really my thing

it's been t

y coffee. "I have

," he added softly. "I'm saying disappear for two h

ugged at my lips. "

rs. Originality isn

ed. "There she is. I haven't heard you laugh in a while. You des

s right. "...Just for a l

. "I'll pick y

-

he time we arrived at the crowded penthouse. I imme

me a soda. "Re

for thirt

ho

," I counte

I slipped out onto the balcony, letting the cool evening air gr

s, a drink in his hand, laughing effortlessly. Before he could look

ays leading away from the penthouse lounge. The music became

th. If I left now, Ma

yed lon

rner when a hand suddenly

led sideways. The bedroom door

at

nd, my puls

th

hirt undone. His hair fallen across his forehead, an

as d

ped, yanking my wrist free. "Hav

for a long momen

red my in

lin

.Wh

mess

s quieter th

o keep things

s laugh es

took another step forw

row

so

rst and you

ed my

nk and this convers

for the

r, his hand settled over mi

disappea

over my

ut of

N

thu

... s

,You don't get to drag me into empty roo

ng to tal

him. "You're trying to m

w tigh

no idea ho

N

laugh e

to know ho

fore sunrise because Ethan can

him, I b

step b

k, then come home and do it all over a

na.

s keep p

k despite my

plans,

ession f

ars I'd been fighting fi

w to live with everything..." I whispered, "...you sho

e I could finish that sentence,

second, my mind wen

warm and despe

slid carefully to my jaw, as though he already

y an

d against mine, hi

'm

er fin

inside m

fingers curled into t

ed him

e, I kis

as though letting go wasn't an option anymore. I buried my fingers in his hair

o each other in the only language

ed apart, both of us

us knew w

r drifted down the hallway a

ide

ad just cha