His lips trail feather-light kisses down the side of my neck, sending shivers all over.
"I love looking at you," he breathes, brushing the hair off my shoulders. "Will you let me look at you?"
My heart hammers, a wild thing seeking his. "Yes."
So he...
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........................................ NOAH
It's cold these days.
In the gleam of our apartment kitchen, I'm plating dinner—mac and cheese—savouring the familiar routine after the whirlwind of the past 24 hours. It's comfort food as November rolls in, frosting the glass of the balcony doors.
Jed hasn't stopped talking about Mick. "Celestially hot," he says, using those words as if they're everyday vocabulary. I can't help but crack a smile at the infatuation, even as I focus on arranging the plates.
Fox is on a stool beside him, leaned back, his gaze fixed on his hands resting open on the island.
His arm is bandaged.
Fox made me swear I wouldn't tell Cam what Maddie did. He says he'll tell her.
I don't like it. But he gave me his word.
Fox has been very, very quiet since.
I miss Camila. It feels like an eternity since I felt her in my arms.
"Man, you should've seen Mick at the pool," Jed continues, oblivious to the tension. He shuffles a deck of Taro cards. He's been flipping them for hours, frowning at the reveals, sometimes smiling. "Like a damn fish. So graceful. So lithe."
I nod, offering a half-hearted "Hm" as I transfer the warm plates full of orange cheesy goodness to the kitchen island.
Jed drops the cards and grabs the plate like a gremlin, spooning a heaping bite into his mouth.
"Fanks," he says around the bite, nodding enthusiastically.
I sit down across from Fox, sprinkling chili flakes onto my plate. I eat a bit slower that Jed—everyone eats slower than Jed.
Fox takes his fork, staring at it. His voice is low and rough. "Thanks, man."
"All good, just eat," I say.
The buzz slices through the air that snaps Jed to his feet. He pads over to the intercom, pressing the button. "Yeah?"
I don't even have time to hope it's her.
"Hey. It's...It's me."
Fox's whole body tightens, a coil ready to snap.
Jed glances back at us. Fox clears his throat, a slight nod barely visible.
"I do not want to see you but Fox has granted your visit," Jed says into the intercom, stepping back.
Jed sits back down, stealing another forkful of mac and cheese.
Every muscle in my body is on alert. I'm trying, really trying, to tamp down the resentment for Fox's sake.
The knock comes, soft but insistent. Fox stands, a deep breath in, and walks toward it, rolling his shoulders. I catch sight of the bandage on his elbow again as he goes, and my fists clench.
