Cresswell: The Lunar Chronicles

Chapter Ninety-Six

Cress drew a careful inhale and let it out slowly, warm and comfortable on the sofa. It had started raining about 4 minutes ago and she loved listening to the sound of it on the balcony and windows. She remembered one time--a lifetime ago--back on her satellite pulling up an audio recording of rain falling and listening to it. The live version was so much better.

Plus, with the "live version" she had Captain Carswell Thorne with his arm wrapped around her waist and kissing her shoulder.

Oh yeah, way better.

"Sing?" Carswell murmured.

"What?"

"It's been a while since I've heard you sing. I miss it."

Cress smiled to herself, wiggling back farther against him and suddenly nervous. "Um, what do you want me to sing?"

"Anything."

Cress thought for a moment. She started humming, no particular melody, until it turned into Sweet Crescent Moon. It was almost strange to be intentionally singing with someone specifically listening to her. As she started in on the second verse, she heard Carswell's deep voice humming along with her.

She grinned, wrapping her arms around his and continuing to sing. Her heart soared when he transitioned from humming to singing right along with her. She'd never heard him sing before! She didn't want the song to end, but it did.

"You can sing!" Cress grinned.

"I can do everything."

"I know. You should sing more often."

Carswell grinned, his hands raking through her hair. "Nah." He looked like he was going to say something else but Cress's stomach rumbled and he laughed.

Cress laughed too. "I'm hungry."

"I can tell." Carswell kissed the side of her head, flinging the blanket aside and tossing it over the back of the sofa. He tossed a piece of wood on the fire and stirred it up.

Cress shoved up from the sofa, sliding into her uggs and then digging around in the kitchen for something to eat.

"What are you in the mood for?" Carswell asked.

"I don't know, but I don't want to eat a full on meal 'cause it's to close to dinner."

"We can have an early dinner if you want." Carswell said as he sank back down on the sofa and leaned on the back of it.

"Ooh okay. What do you feel like?"

"Dunno. You pick."

Cress lightly frowned, scanning over the stuff in the fridge. "Okay, how about fish n' chips?"

"Sounds good, can I do anything?"

Cress shook her head, pulling the bag of frozen fish from the freezer and tossing it on the counter. "If I set a timer can you just take everything out? I wanna take a quick shower."

Carswell nodded.

Cress arranged everything on a cookie sheet and set it in the preheating oven before starting upstairs. She paused to give Carswell a kiss and then hurried upstairs. She drew a hot bath and added in some of the fancy bath salts Carswell had given her for her birthday.

"Um , that's not a quick shower." Carswell said, appearing in the doorway after Cress was settled comfortably among her bubbles.

Cress froze. "Um... I'll be fast?"