Page 149 of Paradox
“Is that why your muscles are showing more?”
“Cheeky.” He slaps my outer thigh. “My muscles have always shown.”
“I like you skinnier.”
“So now you’re saying I was fat?”
“Not at all. I just like you leaner.”
"Same." Eden lifts my shirt and runs his fingers up the middle of my abs. “I think it’s sexy as fuck how skinny you are. I’ve always hated it on girls, but…” He hisses a breath in through a clenched jaw. “There’s something about how strong you actually are compared to how breakable you look, that makes me want to actually break you.”
“Yet you have me laid up here like a princess.”
“How many times have I told you to stop pointing out my inconsistencies?”
I stroke his forearm. “Are you going hunting or fishing?”
“I think I’d rather stay closer.”
I give him a soft smile, and lower my eyes.
Laying beside me with his head propped on his hand, Eden strokes my cheek. “I know you prefer fish. But it’s such a long day.”
“It’s not as long when we go together.”
“Let’s not start this again.” He kisses me gently on the forehead. “How about, if it doesn’t snow for the next week—and as long as the snow is compacted enough—I’ll put the chains on the truck and we can drive to the lake?”
My face lights up, then quickly fades again. “If we can drive, that means others can drive too.”
“Yeah?”
“The road here is better than the one to the lake. So what if someone decides to pay you an unexpected visit?”
“Let them.”
“Eden!”
“Let. Them.”
“I’m not ready for that.”
“I’m not ashamed.”
“Neither am I. But what if—”
“Let her come. She’s been given enough warning.”
I roll towards Eden and only settle when he’s squeezing me tight. “I don’t want a fight.”
“We’ve always known it was coming.”
“I wrote to Tek yesterday.”
Eden smoothes down my hair then cups the back of my neck. “I know. He told me.”
“It hurt not telling him where I was.”
“Me too. I wanna brag about you so bad.”
