Page 41 of All Stars Fall
She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone.
Both of us pointed them down the hallway, and we made our way into the master. I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable but I kept two flashlights under my bed just in case. It was a dad thing, a keep the kids safe in case of an emergency thing.
I quickly grabbed one and handed it to her. “Here you go.”
“Why do you keep flashlights under your bed?” she asked. Her voice was a lot more calm, which made me relax a bit as she switched on the light and pointed it around the room. “Wow, this is… beautiful.”
Everything was draped in rich blues and browns. Itwasbeautiful. It was mine, the only place that the kids knew was off limits when it came to bedtime, though lately they’d been trying to crash with me even though they knew it was my inner sanctum. Typically if they needed me, I slept in their beds, held their hands, cradled their tiny bodies.
I found myself explaining. “Kids take over… everything. They’re like lovable chaotic tornados.” I shrugged and smiled over at Penny even though the flashlight wasn’t pointed at me but was still bouncing around the enormous master suite. “When we moved here, I wanted to keep something—anything—that was just mine, that reminded me that it would get better. That one day I’d be able to share a room like this with someonewho got it, who got us, who accepted us, loved us, who wanted to share this with us.”
The flashlight dropped out of her hand. “Sorry!”
I helped her pick it up, my hand draped across hers.
I jerked back like I’d been burned.
Slowly we both stood.
I knew she was close.
I could smell her, feel her as if we were sharing air, sharing heartbeats, maybe even sharing thoughts.
The pull was so intense I couldn’t think straight.
I purposely pointed the flashlight to the floor and cupped her chin. Our foreheads touched. I could feel her pulse, would have sworn I could hear it, hear her heart hammer against her ribs, hear the sharp intake of breath as I leaned down and pressed a kiss to her mouth.
I knew it was wrong.
Every single rational thought told me it was the worst idea I’d ever had. But she made me feel needed. And I hadn’t realized how much I’d craved that since Jo left us, left me, making me feel inadequate in any and every way a woman knew how.
Penny’s lips parted.
Her flashlight dropped again, but this time it was because she was wrapping her arms around my neck.
I pulled her against me, our mouths met, and we nipped at each other. My lips slid against hers in a way that was so erotic, I was having trouble thinking straight. She was so open to me, so damn beautiful, even in the darkness. I could feel her beauty; it wasn’t the way she looked.
I felt her heart.
She let out a little moan as I dove my free hand into her hair, followed by tracing my tongue across her lower lip. She let out a little gasp that had her body pressing harder against mine.
Blood pounding.
It would be too easy.
It had been over a year, and even before that Jo and I hadn’t been sleeping in the same room.
Too long.
And now I had Penny.
Perfect Penny.
And a bed.
Alone.
In the darkness.
