STOLEN SMILE

CATERINA

"I fell off my pink cloud with a thud."

-Elizabeth Taylor

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THE SUN SHONE A WARM glow against my skin, but it couldn't thaw the coldness that had slid into my stomach throughout the night. I'd lain awake for hours, listening to Jenn breathe and debating what I would do.

For my conscience, for my sanity, for her, doing nothing wasn't an option.

I wished I was a different person, one who could put it past me and forget, just so I didn't have to ruin the small amount of trust Jenn had in me and push her into another woman's arms. Just so I didn't have to destroy the contentment that filled me whenever she was near.

She was awake and, by the dip in the mattress, sitting on the side of the bed. Her gaze touched my skin, but I didn't open my eyes. What if she saw everything I was thinking?

Her thumb brushed my cheekbone. "You gonna laze the whole day away?"

I nodded.

"Been craving your famous runny soup, though."

"Don't be an asshole," I murmured.

She chuckled.

"I told you I couldn't cook, and you still chose to marry me," I complained.

"You also said you spend a lot of money and you haven't."

"Just wait until I go shopping."

She laughed, and then I gasped when she ripped the covers off me. My eyes flew open. "Jenn, it's cold!"

I was naked. If I wasn't naked in the past week, I was only wearing a t-shirt and panties. Best days ever.

Her body came down on mine. I slid my arms beneath her white t-shirt to steal some of her warmth. I was sure this woman could survive a night in the Arctic without a coat by the amount of heat she put off.

I loved how I always safe with her. The truth was, I loved everything about her and there was no going back. It was full speed ahead, like a train that couldn't stop for the girl standing with wide eyes on the tracks.

Bliss hummed beneath my skin as she lay on top of me. She ran a soft palm across my cheek and cupped the nape of my neck. Her lips brushed mine. "You're so fucking beautiful."

The rasp of her voice wrapped around my heart and squeezed. Seared it with warmth and the acidic bite of guilt. I used to hate that word, beautiful. How dirty it sounded no matter which language it was spoken in. However, the deep, sincere way it rolled off her lips was how my romantic heart had always imagined it to be said.

She kissed me, and I melted beneath her, running my hands over the smooth muscles of her back.

Her lips trailed down my neck. "You know what you mean to me, don't you?"

My heartbeats slowed to nothing, while my conscience spun so fast everything blurred.

Why?

Why was she doing this to me?

So many feelings, from happiness to anger at my situation, roared to the surface and vibrated beneath my skin. Tears burned the backs of my eyes. I was so tense there wasn't a chance she didn't notice, but she only kissed my throat as though she'd anticipated this reaction.

An ache cut through my chest.

Her forehead rested on mine. Inhaling a breath from between my lips, she kissed me softly. And then she was on her feet, saying she'd be in the garage, before walking out of the room and leaving me cold in her wake.