Page 125 of Meet Me In The Dark
But he doesn’t run.
Instead, he pushes off the door and crosses the room until my face is in his hands. He presses a gentle kiss to my lips, grounding me.
When he pulls back, his eyes stay locked on mine. “You’re enough, Celeste, as you are. You don’t have to prove a damn thing to anyone.”
The words land so deep it’s almost painful. I can’t tell if I want to cry, laugh, or kiss him again, so I do none of it. I just nod and try to hold onto the truth in his voice before my doubts start talking again.
I drop my gaze, fingers twisting the hem of the pajama shirt, before I grab them and head back into the bathroom to change.
When I come back, I do a dramatic spin with my arms out. “Well? What do you think?”
Julian’s leaning against the dresser, arms crossed over his chest. “Beautiful.”
I roll my eyes and ease onto the bed. My body is still sore, but I’m too full of emotions to focus on it.
“Even with puffy eyes and a uterus staging a coup?” I ask, trying to keep the air from getting too heavy.
He smirks. “Especially then.”
I glance at the clock, then down at myself. “So whatnow? You’re just going to let me sleep here?”
“Unless you want me to toss you out in your pajamas.”
“Julian, we don’t do… this.”
His expression flickers. “Don’t do what?”
“This.” I gesture between us. “We don’t do sleepovers. You don’t tuck me into bed.”
He pulls back the covers anyway. “Tonight, I do.”
When he helps me into bed, I don’t have the strength to fight him.
He presses a button on the remote, and the blinds come down over the windows until the room is completely dark.
I blink into the void. “Okay, that’s cool. That’s very cool.”
“Wait until you see the mood lighting in the sex dungeon.”
I gasp. “You do not have a sex dungeon.” I think about it. Honestly, it wouldn’t surprise me. “Do you?”
He brushes his lips across my forehead. “No, but now I want one,” he whispers. “My office is down the hall. Yell if you need anything.”
But I don’t, because for the first time in a long time, I already have everything I need.
So I do as I’m told, and I sleep.
Thirty-Nine
I wake in Julian’s bed to sunlight and a note from him.
Had to go into the office. I’ll be home as soon as I can. Make yourself at home. Eat breakfast.
The bed is way too comfortable, but the pull of caffeine wins.
Downstairs, the kitchen offers the same sweeping ocean views as the rest of the house.
Feeling pain-free and oddly at ease, I turn on the radio, pour water into the coffee maker, and grab my phone.
