Page 117 of Je T'aime, Actually
Monroe reached for her charger, eyes beginning to drift. “I’m falling asleep on you.”
“Go sleep. I’ll be here in the morning.”
“I love you,” Monroe whispered, voice already thick with sleep.
Chloé smiled. “I love you more. Sweet dreams.”
Monroe didn’t reply, the screen tilted slightly as her hand relaxed, the soft sound of her breathing beginning to fill the call. On the screen, Chloé just watched her for a while longer, before finally ending the call.
ninety-nine
Monroe had the day off from Frank-sitting. Poppy had it all under control. The kids were on their last day at school and only needed to be picked up and dropped off, which Monroe was happy enough to do.
She was exhausted.
Burning the candle at both ends these past few days meant getting up early to squeeze in work before the school run, then working late into the evening before finally finding time for Chloé.
That morning, after dropping Benji and Kitty at their respective classes, she’d come straight home, stripped off, and climbed back into bed.
A little nap wouldn’t hurt.
She snuggled down and drifted off into a world where Chloé was pressed up behind her. It felt so nice, so real…
Her mind jolted awake as she became aware of someone in the room.
In the bed.
Her body tensed, eyes still closed, breath held.
Then came the soft, familiar exhale. The shift of the mattress. The scent ofher.
She rolled over quickly, blinking in disbelief. “Chloé?”
“Hi.”
“You’re—what—how are you—”
“I got an early flight, took a taxi from the airport, and arrived here to find this,” Chloé said, eyes twinkling. “You looked too peaceful to wake.”
Monroe blinked again, still not convinced she wasn’t dreaming. “You flew all the way here just to…”
“Just to climb into bed with you,” Chloé teased.
“You didn’t even text—”
“Nope.”
“Or call?”
“Nope.”
Monroe’s arms wrapped tightly around Chloé, pulling her closer to make sure she was really there. The soft weight of Chloé’s body against hers grounded her in the moment, chasing away the last remnants of disbelief.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Monroe whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Chloé smiled, her fingers tracing lazy patterns along Monroe’s back. “Neither can I. But here I am. And I’m not going anywhere.”
They stayed like that for a long moment, just holding each other, the quietness of the day wrapping around them.
