( when the stars forget us! ) ↳chapter twenty-four↲
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━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ❝I THINK THIS MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE MEMORY. ❞ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
TALIA WAS BARELY conscious, her body heavy with exhaustion as she curled into the passenger seat of Embry's truck. The hum of the engine had long since faded, leaving only the faint sounds of the night outside and the warmth of Embry's jacket wrapped tightly around her. She shivered slightly, burying her face in the fabric, inhaling the faint scent of pine and something distinctly him.
She didn't even realize he was gone until the sound of the door opening jolted her slightly. A cool breeze slipped in, but before she could protest, Embry was there, filling the space with his warmth.
"Hey, sleepyhead," he murmured, his voice low and soothing.
Talia blinked up at him, her lashes heavy with sleep, a small, drowsy smile tugging at her lips. She barely had time to register anything before his strong arms slid around her, lifting her effortlessly from the truck.
She let out a soft sigh, instinctively curling into his chest, the exhaustion making her pliant in his hold. He was warm—so warm—and she nuzzled closer, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her cheek.
Embry just chuckled, shifting her slightly to adjust his grip. "You really can't stay awake, huh?"
She hummed in response, not bothering to answer. He didn't need one.
The night air was crisp against her skin, but it didn't matter—not when she was wrapped in Embry's warmth. His steps were steady as he carried her across the parking lot, the sound of gravel crunching beneath his boots barely registering in her half-asleep state.
The motel room door creaked open, and Embry stepped inside, the faint glow of the lamp illuminating the small space. He moved carefully, laying her down onto the bed as if she were something fragile. The mattress dipped beneath her weight, and she sighed at the comfort, though she instantly missed the warmth of his embrace.
Embry crouched beside the bed, brushing a stray piece of hair from her face. "I'll be right back," he whispered, not wanting to disturb the quiet that had settled over her.
She barely managed a nod, already sinking back into sleep as he pulled the blankets over her. He lingered for a moment, just watching her, his expression soft. Then, with a quiet exhale, he stood and made his way back outside to grab their bags, already eager to return to her side.
Embry stepped back into the motel room, careful not to make too much noise as he shut the door behind him. The dim glow from the streetlights outside cast soft shadows across the room, illuminating Talia's small frame curled up under the blankets. She was already fast asleep, her breathing slow and even, her face relaxed in a way that made his chest ache.
