ste hadn't changed out of her silk robe. The pale blue fabric clung to her frame like second skin as sh

recognize

oftened. As if some sharp edge inside her had been ground down. It u

nd it. In a burned notebo

ng her collarbone where the

o touch h

mber the act-bu

hree times

Marc

across the studio

ir damp from rain, hands buried

ait for an

t you found

respond. Just

as thick but not angry. It carried something slower.

brics, past the sketches. He paused at the ma

my name,"

s yours," she replie

did," he said,

lence wrapped around them l

is fingers hovered near her cheekbone, like he

member wha

"But I remember how

pped c

ow

. Like you were the one person who c

pulse throbbed beneath the hollow

. "The first time you kissed me,

slowly. Her

ded. "You told me not to look at yo

her with vio

d drawn curtains. The heat of his hand on her waist. Her fingers t

e tried t

ga

ched her-real this ti

inside he

lips. "You buried me in fabric, Celeste. You dressed me in fantas

n he ki

ative. N

per

een waiting

dn't r

at, the other fisting in his hair. Their bodies collided like matched tens

ped farther, exposing skin he once knew by touch alon

erything yet," he whis

said, br

ur body

e line of he

, eyes closing. "You fee

r skin. "That's fair.

t make it

t

eclaiming something stolen. Feeling instead of r

d, barely breathing, his f

e said. "Even if it's ugly. Ev

r just beneath his jaw-fai

... I didn't just for

gned ov

allowed h

ause you were too dange