Page 47 of Every Thought Taken

I suck on her bottom lip as my arm bands around her waist and I tug her closer. She tosses a leg over both of mine, straddles my lap, and frames my face in her hands. Her tongue swipes the seam of my lips as she gives me more of her weight. My hands find her hips, my fingers kneading at her flesh as my tongue tangles with hers.

The television goes black and blankets the room in darkness. Her hand falls from my face and grips mine on her hip. Inch by painful inch, she shifts my hand under her hoodie.

She breaks the kiss, her breath ghosting my lips. “Touch me, Ander,” she says, voice raspy.

Sliding down the bed, I roll us over. Hover a breath above her. Stare down at this incredible girl I get to call mine. I drop my mouth to hers, kiss her chastely once, twice before skating my lips along her jaw to her ear. My hand skims beneath her hoodie, grazing her soft skin as I pepper her neck in kisses.

When I reach the bottom of her breasts, I expect to find a bra. But there is nothing. I push up on my elbows and lock my gaze with hers, silent questions passing between us.

Is this okay?

Are you sure?

How far is this going?

Helena and I have had sex. Several times. But I made a promise to myself to never assume with her, to never make decisions about sex without her consent each time.

“I need you, Ander.” Want and hunger lace her words, her plea. She lifts her hips and rocks them against mine. “Please.”

I brush the hair off her cheek. “I need you too, North.”

And beneath the cloak of darkness, we lose ourselves in each other.

My bedroom door cracks open and Ales pokes her head in. The television illuminates the room as she looks to the bed and sees Helena curled into my side beneath the comforter. I lift my free hand and press a finger to my lips then point to Helena.

Ales tiptoes into the room and around the bed. She bends over and presses her lips to my forehead before dropping them to my ear. “Want me to wake her? Or you can bring her to my room.”

My first thought is,Hell no, you’re not waking her. My second thought is,Like hell is she leaving my bed.But I can’t say either to my sister.

Instead, I shake my head. “She’s beat,” I whisper. Beneath the covers, my fingers stroke the exposed bare skin of her lower back. “I’d rather not move her.”

Ales narrows her eyes at me before shifting her gaze to Helena. When her eyes meet mine again, I see it. Realization, maybe? I should be worried, should be freaking out that my sister is puzzling out the extent of my relationship with Helena.

But not an ounce of panic fills my veins. Oddly, all I feel is relief. Contentment. Happiness. If anyone were to know our secret, Ales is the person I’d want to know.

“Okay.” Eyes still assessing the situation, she nods. “If you need me…” she whispers, not finishing the thought.

With a subtle smile, I nod. “She’ll be fine.” My fingers continue to caress her skin. “I’ve got her.”

Without a doubt, Ales will mull over those three words. She will flip them over in her head for days or weeks as she watches how we act around each other. And she will figure out they are more of a proclamation than simple sentiment. A promise carved in stone. Because I will always be there for Helena. Every step going forward, I will be by her side.

Ales tiptoes back to the door, grabs the handle, then peeks over her shoulder at me, at us. “Be good to her.”

I swallow at the seriousness in her voice. Pull in a jagged breath and nod. I want to open my mouth and tell her I love Helena. I want to tell her Helena loves me in return.

Instead, I purse my lips, keep everything to myself, and give her a curt nod.

She twists the knob and slowly opens the door. As she steps into the hall, she spins to face me one last time. “This year has been busier, but you know I’m always here. To talk aboutanything.” A soft smile tips up the corners of her mouth as her eyes drop to Helena for a beat. “I’m happy that you’re happy, Baby A. Love you.”

“Love you, Ales,” I whisper back, emotion pooling in my mouth.

The second the door closes, I exhale the breath I’ve been holding.She knows. The way she assessed us… she knows.Ales, possibly knowing the truth, is surreal and extraordinary and exhilarating… and terrifying as hell.

Grabbing the remote, I turn off the television and bask in the darkness for a moment. One breath at a time, I release every shred of worry. We kept our relationship secret to ward off family criticism—more from our parents than Ales. Much as I’d love for everyone to know, Ales just changed my mind. For a little while longer, I only want me and Helena in this bubble. Our bubble.

Closing my eyes, I haul Helena impossibly closer. A soft moan fills the room as she hikes her leg higher over mine. Her arm under my hoodie bands around my waist and hugs me to her. She nuzzles my neck, sighs, and drifts back to sleep.

This is all I need. Her and me and no one else. Just us and our bubble.

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