Page 42 of Untethered Heart
A bubble of twittering laughter escapes her as she leans over to whisper-shout at Claire. “He’s so pretty. Even his dick is pretty.”
Claire winces before she moves to the front door. She unlocks it and pushes it open so I can help Lex get inside, but when she stumbles on her first step, I lean down and brace an arm under her knees, hoisting her against my chest in a princess hold. I walk down the dark hallway, washed only in the light coming from the front porch lanterns, until I reach Lex’s open bedroom door.
Seashell string lights are wrapped around her curtain rod. The minute I stand in her room, I’m hit with the memories of our first night together. My heart slows, but I can still feel the intense thrumming in my ears.
I kick her bedroom door closed and walk further into her room. Lex hasn’t said a word since we stood on the porch, sharing with her friends that she thinks I’m pretty. Dick included. I smirk and shift my gaze down to her, finding her silver eyes still on me.
This close to her, I can see how the slate grey of her irises has a spider web of white veins, and a ring of smoky blue. I’m completely entranced. Captivated by how her eyes show her kindness, strength and vulnerability. I can see the smattering of freckles that fall over the tops of her cheeks like stardust. A light layer of makeup has dulled them, making me want to wipe it away so I can see her real beauty.
While she’s made me breathless whenever I’ve been fortunate to lay my eyes upon her, I crave to see her in the early morning. Fresh-faced, hair messed up from my fingers runningthrough the red tresses. A soft, sleepy smile and the hint of coconut left on my sheets from her skin. Better yet, the scent lingering on my own skin from having her pressed against me all night. Head on my chest, having slept to the sound of my beating heart.
“Hi,” Lex whispers sweetly.
“Hello, Siren.” I smile.
With careful steps, I carry her into the attached bathroom and set her on top of the counter. The move causes her lilac dress to rise, exposing more of her golden thighs. The pastel colour of the ruffled hemline clings to her shapely legs. With a hand under her knee, I open her legs further so I can stand between them. My thumb traces soft circles against her heated skin.
Her hands dangle over my shoulders, and the weight of her touch feels as though it’s grounding me. For weeks, she’s had my head spinning, my untethered heart reaching for something to anchor onto, and it all settles with her touch. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath of the coconut cloud that surrounds me.
When my eyes flutter open again, I’m met with a wonky smile.
I press a kiss to the tip of her nose and reach over the bench to pick up a washcloth. Her hands stay resting on my shoulders as I wet the cloth and bring it up to her face. I wipe it over her cheeks, revealing those cute little freckles.
She closes her eyes and hums in delight, so I move the cloth up to her eyes, taking away the gold and chocolate brown eyeshadow. I rinse the cloth out and finish cleaning her face before bringing it to her lips, painted in a cool red. The way this woman wears red lipstick brings me to my knees. The stain clings to her lips, making the skin look pinker than it normally would. My stomach flutters, knowing how badly I want to press my mouth to hers.
“How’s your head?” My words are just above a whisper. I’m scared to speak too loudly and burst the bubble we’re in.
With her eyes still closed, she mutters, “Tired.”
“Do you have some ibuprofen in here?” I bring my hands up, running them along her arms, from her wrists to her shoulders and back again.
“In the purple container under the sink.” Reluctantly pulling her hands off my shoulders, I press a kiss against the anchor tattoo on her wrist before setting her hands in her lap and reaching down to look through her cupboards.
There’s a little basket of scrunchies, and organised containers of lipsticks and makeup, definitely not as much as I’ve seen my sister hoard. There are various bottles of moisturiser and perfume, lined up neatly. I pull out the purple container she mentioned and pop two pills into my hand, then snatch a little tub of pineapple night cream from the shelf.
An empty cup sits beside the sink. I rinse it out, then fill it with a little water and hand it to Lex.
“Take these. We don’t want that head of yours to hurt in the morning.”
She plucks the pills and glass out of my hand, then throws them back in one go.
“Good girl.” I take the cup from her and set it down before untwisting the lid of her cream and dipping my fingers in. Spreading it over my palms, I bring them to her face and coat her smooth skin.
“I never imagined the day a man would put my moisturiser on me.”
“I’m glad to be the first.” I smile.
“You’re the first for a lot of things.” My hands stop over her cheeks, cupping her face as I take in her words.First?
“You—You’ve had experience though, right?” She does look young, but she didn’t seem nervous enough to be completely new to what we did. Fuck, did I make it okay for her?
“Yes, I’ve had a few boyfriends.”May they rot in hell.“It was just different with you.”
My heart blooms, and my breath comes easier. I rest my forehead against hers, feeling validated by her words. It feels as though the two of us walk around carrying a secret that no one else can know the meaning of.
The way she’s ensnared my attention doesn’t make sense with the little time we’ve had together. It’s made me want things I’ve never made room for before her. I want to learn every deep thought and hidden desire. I want quiet and slow moments as well as loud and messy ones. I want to show her off and be owned by her. It’s foreign, but exciting. I can’t figure out what it is about Lex that has unlocked these feelings.
The excitement quickly gives way to worry. Is something wrong with me? Do people crave a partner like this so quickly? Is this what people mean when they say: when you know you know? Is there really such a thing as love at first sight? Feeling like you’ve taken an arrow to your heart. One that cracks the shell of reason and lets obsession bleed out.
