Page 127 of Stars in Umbra
Hanna and Reth fussed over the couple all evening, their simple kindness a balm to Mo’s battered soul.
They ladled seconds, topped up their wine, and offered blankets and house socks with such openhearted generosity that at times, Mo’s breath caught.
He felt a familiar knot of unworthiness tighten in his gut.
He didn’t deserve the warmth of this table, the tinkle of laughter between mother and daughter, or the grounding touch of Rina’s hand in his.
She held his hand the entire time, her thumb brushing the back of his knuckles.
Every so often, she glanced at him when his exhales hitched or his eyes darted too fast toward the windows.
He was still half-wild inside, some part of him waiting for rail guns or restraint cuffs, expecting his proverbial justice to drop.
But she stilled him.
How strange,he thought.
Weeks ago, she was the restless one.
Her voice trembling, her shoulders coiled with tension as she rejected the idea of their relationship.
Now she was his peace.
After a dessert of stewed apples and custard, Rina rose and tugged him to his feet, her hand never leaving his. ‘Come,’ she murmured. ‘You need sleep.’
She showed him to a guest bedroom with plush cotton sheets and timber floorboards worn smooth by the footsteps of decades.
A carved dresser held fresh towels.
An old woven rug lay at the foot of the bed.
She placed a folded pair of her brother’s pajamas on the chair, clean and soft. ‘I’ll be in my room,’ she whispered, touching his arm. ‘Good night, honey.’
He nodded but didn’t speak.
She left, closing the door behind her with a muted click.
Mo stood still for a beat, wanting to call her back.
Still, he had to respect her wishes; perhaps privacy was essential to her, and sex under her parents’ roof a no-no.
With a sigh, he undressed with care, bathed, then changed into a set of pajamas scented with cedar and lavender.
He lay down, but sleep hovered out of reach.
Then, the door creaked open.
She slipped in, barefoot, wearing a simple lace nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders.
He propped himself up on one elbow, and his lips quirked.
Fokk, she was stunning.
Her expression was soft, but he caught a glint in her eye, a raw desire that hit him in the gut. ‘I thought you might need some company,’ she murmured.
Mo didn’t answer with words.
He extended an arm, his calloused fingers curling into an invitation.
