Page 46 of Retrofit Analysis

“So good,” she moans. And I want this for always, us together, open. No limits. No barriers between us. I want to be here for her difficulties and I want to be here to make her feel good. I join her motion, and the two of us rock together, our old bodies finding a new rhythm. “Right there,” she breathes and then she starts to moan. “Harder.”

“Beth, are you sure you⁠—“

“Shut up, Kellen,” she snaps, and she rocks into my pelvis, grinding against my pubic bone. “I’m going to come again. I’m going to come!”

I pick up the pace and she joins me every step of the way until we are both tumbling over the edge. I come, the hot ropes of my release filling her as she shouts my name and claws at my shoulders. And then I collapse on top of her, feeling so complete I might cry from the relief and the beauty of it all.

Some time later, maybe it’s an hour or maybe it’s ten, she wriggles out from beneath me and kisses my cheek. “I need to use the restroom,” she says, but I shake my head. “Let me help you,” I say.

I yank on my boxers and pad down the hallway. In the bathroom, I find a washcloth and soak it with warm water.

I bring it back to the bed and nudge Elizabeth’s thighs open to clean her, peppering her stomach with kisses as I do.

“I can’t believe I’m sleeping with a tattooed woman,” I say, tracing the leaves again on her thigh. “You’re such a rebel.”

“Hm,” she laughs, flicking at my nipples.

“Better watch out with that behavior or we’ll be going again,” I tease. I toss the washcloth into her hamper, making note to help her get a load of laundry started later on so nothing gets mildewed. I snuggle into the bed beside her, wondering if it’s inappropriate if I ask to stay over tonight.

I can’t handle the thought of sleeping away from her, not after what we just experienced together.

“That was so perfect, Kellen,” she murmurs, taking a long whiff of my armpit.

“Did you just sniff my pits?”

“I did. You smell so good. Even your sweat smells sexy to me.”

“I’m not sure how to feel about that, Beth.” I puff up the pillow so I can more comfortably slip an around around her shoulders and pull her close.

“This is what I want, Kellen,” she says, those fingers tracing my chest again. “I don’t want a white knight to save me.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” I tell her. “And I decided you don’t need saving.” She smiles and I kiss her nose. “But I’m happy to be here with you to celebrate your victories.” Another kiss. I clasp her hand in mine and bring her knuckles to my lips. “I hope you’ll let me be here beside you for support if things are hard.”

She nods, tears welling up in her eyes. “I’d like that, Kellen. I would. I’m working on it.”

“We can work on it together,” I tell her. And we drift off to sleep in each other’s arms.

Thirty-Five

Elizabeth

I wake up in a haze next to a sleeping Kellen, a first for us. The light has shifted, but I have no idea what time it is. I roll on my side and smile at his sleeping form. He is every bit the silver fox Lisa described him as. I trace a finger along his sturdy jaw line, reach for his hair that used to be unruly and dark. Now it’s clipped short and graying. I want to spend an eternity admiring his beautiful form, but I know Jake will be home soon.

I find my phone and see a series of messages from him, telling me something about a Brady crisis and he took the bus to his grandparents’ house. Then he sent a few dozen photos of different robots that can apparently crawl inside pipes or fly up inside generators to complete safe, accurate inspections.

I dial his number and it rings ten times, an eternity, before he finally answers. “Mom?” He sounds like he’s clanging pots around the kitchen. I hurry out of bed to the kitchen, thinking on the fly, panicking.

“Do you need me to come get you, honey?”

“What? No. Grampa is giving me another code for a Roblox skin. From his cellphone service.” I hear another clang as I take stock of what’s going on. My son had an adventure with robots, took a bus to see his grandparents, and I got to spend an entire day in bed with a silver fox.

“Beltane Engineering is the place where I want to spend my life,” Jake tells me, rattling on about the computer servers and design software they have there.

“I’m so glad, sweetheart,” I tell him. “Did you want to talk about anything that happened in court today?”

He groans. “No. I want to tell you about the drones they have. Did you know I can get my drone pilot license and work for them this summer? The Bradys said they would hire me without an interview. If I passed the test. Can I have your credit card to register for the test?”

I laugh in delighted surprise. “How about we table that until I have time to settle down,” I tell him. “There’s just been so much today and⁠—“