𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐅 𝐎 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘

Eden

The sun was merciless that afternoon, beating down on me as I carried yet another heavy box up to Lenore's new penthouse. Sweat dripped from my forehead, and I could feel my shirt sticking to my back. We had been at this for hours, moving furniture, unpacking boxes, and trying to get everything settled. Lenore had already started to organize some of her things inside, while I played the role of the mule, hauling everything in from the truck.

As I reached the top of her floor and entered the penthouse, I dropped the box onto the floor with a groan, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.

"Honestly, I think I've lost about ten pounds today," I said, breathing heavily.

Lenore smirked from where she was standing by the kitchen counter, a glass of water in her hand. "Maybe it's for the best, darling. You're starting to look a little soft around the edges."

I shot her a playful glare, crossing my arms as I leaned against the wall. "Oh, really? Says the woman who hasn't lifted a single box today."

She raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. "I don't need to lift anything. That's what I have you for."

I rolled my eyes, laughing despite myself. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be pampering me, you're doing a terrible job of it."

Lenore walked over to me, the same mischievous smile on her face. "Oh, I plan on pampering you later, don't worry. But for now, I'm enjoying watching you sweat." She paused, her eyes sweeping over me. "You do look rather hot, though. In more ways than one."

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, not from the heat this time, but from the way she was looking at me. Her eyes held that familiar spark, the one that always made my heart race. She reached for me, clearly intending to pull me in for a kiss, but I took a step back, holding up my hands.

"Lenore, I'm sweaty. Like, really sweaty. You don't want to kiss me right now," I warned her, half-joking, half-serious.

But Lenore just laughed, closing the distance between us. "Oh, sweetheart, I don't care about that."

Before I could protest again, her hands cupped my face, and she pulled me into a passionate kiss. Her lips were soft and insistent, and despite the sweat and the heat, I melted into her embrace. My hands found her waist, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. It was the kind of kiss that made everything else fade away, the exhaustion, the heat, the boxes waiting to be unpacked. In that moment, it was just the two of us, lost in each other.

We stayed like that for a while, making out in the middle of the penthouse, our bodies pressed together, the world outside forgotten. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, steady and reassuring. The warmth of her skin, the softness of her touch, it was everything I needed.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathless, our foreheads resting against each other. Lenore's eyes were sparkling, and she was smiling in that way that always made my heart skip a beat.

"You taste even better when you're sweaty," she teased, her voice low and playful.

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're ridiculous."

"But you love it," she shot back, her grin widening.

I couldn't argue with that. "Yeah, I do."

We stood there for a moment longer, just holding each other, before I sighed and reluctantly pulled away. "As much as I'd love to keep doing this, we still have a lot to unpack."

Lenore groaned dramatically. "Do we have to? Can't we just leave the boxes and relax for the rest of the day?"

I gave her a playful nudge. "We could, but I'm not leaving you with a half-unpacked penthouse. Come on, help me with the last few boxes, and then we can relax."

She sighed, but there was a smile on her face. "Fine, fine. But I'm holding you to that relaxing part afterward."

We spent the next hour finishing up the last of the unpacking. Lenore did her part, though not without making a few more jokes about how I was doing most of the heavy lifting. By the time we were done, we were both sweaty and tired, but the penthouse was starting to feel like home.

As we collapsed onto the couch, I turned to Lenore, a smile tugging at my lips. "You know, this place is amazing."

She glanced around, nodding. "It is, isn't it? I'm really glad you're here with me, Eden."

I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "Me too. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Lenore leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. "Good, because I'm not letting you go anytime soon."

I smiled, resting my head on her shoulder as we sat there in the quiet of the penthouse. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything felt right. It wasn't just the new place, or the fact that we were finally moving forward together, it was the feeling of being with her, of knowing that no matter what came next, we'd face it together.

And that was all I needed.

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~ R