Tethered (Book Two of The Invisible String Series)

Forever With You: Part One

AN: When you get to the italicized lyrics part towards the end, and you wanna listen to the song as you read, it's Can't Help Falling in Love With You, Kina Grannis' cover!

Y/N POV

Keeping my footfall as light as possible, I somehow successfully manage to balance the tray of food in one hand as I open our bedroom door without so much as a sound. I do a little fist-pump in the air at my success so far, causing the tray to wobble slightly and I scramble to catch the glass of orange juice before it tumbles over the edge, not a single drop spilt.

I let out the breath I'd been holding in before warily glancing up to make sure I hadn't woken the sleeping beauty in my bed. Thankfully the brunette is still sleeping soundly, cuddled up to the pillow that I'd replaced myself with earlier this morning when I'd crept out of bed to get the day started.

Without any more almost-casualties, I place the tray of food down on my bedside table before sliding back onto the bed, turning on my side to face my favorite person. Well, I guess she's technically one of my favorite people now that Liv is here, but whatever that's besides the point. And that point is, is that today is Lizzie's birthday and I'm looking forward to celebrating it with her and to FUCKING FINALLY popping the question later on tonight.

Reaching out, I carefully brush the brunette's hair out of her face, letting my eyes trace over her features. For a thirty-one year old, she looks really damn good and I pray to whatever higher being that's listening in that I manage to be as lucky as her when I reach that age. Because I seriously have my doubts that Lizzie isn't a real-life superhuman being who never ages, and I smile to myself at such nonsense thoughts.

Bringing myself back to reality, and the absolute goddess in front of me, I let my finger light trace over the bridge of her nose and down across her slightly parted lips that I've kissed probably a thousand times and will probably never get enough of. The touch causes the older woman to stir and I automatically pull my hand back, biting down on my bottom lip. When she settles back down I let out a huff. That was incredibly rude Elizabeth. I want you awake, so I bring my finger back up and retrace the same line, this time adding just the slightest amount of pressure. It seems to do the trick as green eyes flutter open a few seconds later and I find myself smiling like an absolute child. "Good morning, my love! Happy Birthday!"

Lizzie blinks a few times before her eyebrows pull together and she lets out a groan, reaching out to gently shove my face away from hers. "No, I'm not celebrating my birthday this year. I'm old."

I scoff as I remove her hand from my face to glare down at her, watching as she cracks one eye open to look at me, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You are not old, Elizabeth. You're only thirty-one."

"That's a whole seven years older than you."

I shrug, shuffling around until I'm sitting up next to her head since she hasn't moved a single muscle and start to run my fingers through her brown locks, noticing that her roots were starting to lighten back to blonde. "Yesterday you were only six years older than me, what's the difference?"

The brunette lets out a huff, but tosses the pillow she'd been holding on to somewhere off the bed behind her, apparently deciding that my lower half would be a much better pillow instead. "The difference is that yesterday I was only thirty."

"Well I personally think you look fucking sexy as hell as a thirty-one-year old. And you're not going to get out of celebrating your birthday."

Lizzie lets out another groan, shoving her face into my hip and muffling whatever she just said. I roll my eyes at her dramatics and dislodge myself from her grip, smiling slightly when she glares up at me after I let her flop onto the mattress. "Where do you think you're going?"