The Gray Effect - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

T H E O G R A Y
SOPH DOESN'T say a word as she opens the door to our apartment. I trail behind her, silent, watching the soft curve of her back, the way her hair sways slightly with each step. My thoughts are a mess - tangled and loud - crashing against each other inside my head.
I told her I love her.
And she didn't run.
She's still here.
With me.
The door clicks shut behind us and I follow her in, not fully present, not entirely sure how to breathe without looking at her every second. It's only when I glance down that I realize - I'm still holding her hand. I never let go. Not since I poured my heart out to her on Lydia's rooftop.
She didn't pull away.
In fact... she squeezed back.
Like she meant it.
Like she felt it too.
That tiny squeeze does something to my chest - cracks it open a little wider, lets in just enough hope to warm the frozen parts of me. But I'm still scared. Deep down. Scared that I'm going to mess it up again. Scared I'll become too much or not enough. This mindset, this fear... it won't vanish overnight. But maybe - just maybe - she'll stay while I figure it out.
"Are you hungry?" she asks, turning toward me as I close the door behind us. She swings our hands gently, like we're something soft and simple, like I haven't been drowning in the chaos of my own mind. Her eyes sparkle, warm and familiar, and then I notice the quiet hush of the apartment - the dark rooms, the cold stillness.
And suddenly it hits me.
Was I seriously going to leave her here alone?
What the hell is wrong with you?
You're a fucking asshole, Theo.
The guilt crashes over me. Heavy. Crushing. How could I forget her like that? How could I make her feel like she wasn't enough - when she's everything?
My grip on her tightens unconsciously, like I'm trying to anchor myself to her, and maybe she feels that, because she squeezes back, grounding me with nothing but her presence. I look at her then - really look - and it almost hurts. She's looking up at me like I'm hers. Like I'm still worth loving.
"I made chicken salad," she says, filling the silence I've left between us. But all I can do is stare. Hard. Like if I blink, she'll vanish, and I'll wake up alone again - haunted by the echo of her voice in a place that used to feel like home.
"Really?" I finally manage, my voice rough. God, thank fuck I said something.
She nods, smiling. That same sweet smile that undoes me every damn time. She begins to let go of my hand and I almost panic at the loss of her touch.
"It's in the fridge," she says as she moves toward the kitchen. "Let me warm it up for you."
She flicks on the hallway light as she walks off, and I follow, like gravity itself has shifted and it's pulling me toward her. I haven't let myself look at her properly in weeks. Haven't let myself feel her near me. And now that I do... it's overwhelming. The way she moves. The way she hums softly under her breath. The quiet strength in her shoulders.
It hasn't just been two weeks.
It's felt like months.
I see her open the fridge and I find my voice again.
"I'm not hungry," I say quietly.
She turns, surprised, and her brows pinch together. I hate that look. I hate that I'm still the reason it shows up on her face. So I quickly add, "I ate at Lydia's place."
It's the truth. Lydia and Logan didn't let me go without food. They hovered like I was some wounded bird, and it honestly felt nice - like someone cared. Like I wasn't alone.
But it's nothing compared to what's in front of me right now.
Because Soph - she's more than care. She's more than home. She's everything. And the fact that I ever made her cry... the fact that I ever made her question how much she means to me...
I'll spend forever making that right.
"Oh..." she murmurs, quietly closing the fridge door, her gaze dropping from mine. She doesn't meet my eyes - just glances around the kitchen like she's looking for something to fill the silence between us.
"Do you, uh... want something else? Like a drink or-"
"You."
Her breath hitches.
I step forward, closing the distance, slow and deliberate.
"Right now, I want you. I want you so bad, Soph," I say, my voice low and rough. "But before that... I need to apologize. Again."
"Theo-"
"I'm sorry." The words scrape out of me like they've been buried deep, waiting for the right moment to claw their way out. "I'm really fucking sorry for even thinking about leaving you here. Alone. In this apartment. In the quiet, in the dark. I know what that silence feels like. And I just... I walked away. I acted like an asshole - no, I am the asshole. The biggest one."
I clench my fists, nails digging into my palms, trying to ground myself before the spiral takes over again.
"I know you said you're not going anywhere. And I want to believe that. God, I do. But Soph, it's so hard. My mind is so loud sometimes, and I don't know if you can handle how fucked up it can get."
I need her to know the truth. Not the polished version. The raw, ugly pieces too. Because love without truth... it doesn't stand a chance.
Her hands, soft and warm, cradle my face suddenly. And I almost lose it.
She's so close now, her eyes locked on mine, fierce and filled with something that looks a lot like forever.
"I can handle it," she says, her thumbs brushing gently along my jaw. "We can do this, Theo."
"But what if I push you away again?" My voice cracks. "What if I mess up and make you feel like you're not enough, even when I know you're everything?"
She looks at me for a long beat - not blinking, not breaking - her gaze searching every inch of me.
"If you think you don't deserve me," she says softly, "then what about me?"
My heart stalls.
"I don't think I deserve you, Theo. I mean... you're Theo Gray. The hockey star. The one the world sees and loves. And don't say it doesn't matter, because to me? It does."
"It doesn't matter," I whisper back, and she lets out a soft chuckle.
God, I've missed that sound. That little laugh that vibrates through my ribs like sunlight. Like safety.
"Well, it matters to me," she says, still smiling, still here. "But do you really think any of that's enough to push me away from you? No. I'm here for you. And you're here for me... right?"
I nod. Helplessly. Because she's right. I am here. Completely. Finally.
Her fingers drift into my hair, the other sliding behind my neck, and she pulls me closer - like she's waited forever to feel me again.
Fuck yes. I melt into her touch.
It's been too long since I've felt this - her body, her warmth, the way she holds me like I'm something worth keeping.
"That's good," she whispers, her lips brushing mine.
And then I catch her bottom lip between my teeth - a soft bite, just enough to draw a shaky breath from her as she shudders against me.
"That's very good."
"Yeah..." I breathe, already intoxicated by her closeness.
My hands slide down to her waist, tugging her into me, and she moves backward as I press forward until her back finds the edge of the counter. We hover there, lips barely touching - teasing, waiting, pulling each other in like gravity's gone mad.
And then I break.
I crush my mouth to hers - raw, hungry, needing her - and she moans against me like she's been waiting for this kiss for years, not weeks.
This one is different.
The kiss on the rooftop was honest, tender. A confession. The kind that leaves you warm and breathless.
But this?
This kiss is desperation. It's all the missing and all the wanting finally boiling over. We kiss like we're trying to breathe each other in. Like touching isn't enough. Like we want to burn through skin and bone until there's no space left between us.
Her fingers twist in my shirt, tugging, pulling. My grip on her hips tightens, anchoring me to her, grounding me in her mouth, her heat, her body. Her leg lifts slightly, hooking around mine, and I groan into her mouth.
I want more. God, I need more.
But right now, I just kiss her. Like I've been starving. Like she's the only thing that's ever made me feel alive.
Because she is.
"Theo," she breathes out my name between kisses, and fuck-she says it in that tone that makes every part of me burn.
My tongue thrusts into hers and she moans into my mouth, the sound going straight to my gut. My hands slide to her hips, gripping tight as I lift her effortlessly. She wraps her legs around my waist like it's second nature, and I set her down on the counter, her ass pressing against the cold surface as we kiss harder-deeper.
"I've missed you." The words come out between kisses, my lips brushing hers before I nip her bottom lip and trail a line of desperate, hungry kisses along her jaw and down to her neck. "I've fucking missed you so much."
"Me too-ahh." Her back arches as I find the spot I know drives her wild, biting and sucking just enough to mark her. I need it there. Need to see it tomorrow so I know this is real. So I remember this moment and know she's mine.
She suddenly pulls away, breathless, and I groan at the loss-until her fingers find the hem of my hoodie. Her eyes are dark with want, and I help her yank it off, revealing my bare chest beneath. Her gaze lingers, hungry.
She tugs at her own top and I help her out of it in one swift motion. The second it's gone, I crash my mouth back to hers, growling against her lips.
"I can't get enough of your lips, Soph." I pull her closer, pressing myself between her thighs as she tightens her legs around me, anchoring me to her. Her fingers tangle in my hair, and I groan at the feel of her hands tugging me deeper into the kiss.
Then I feel her other hand slip between us, pressing against my hard cock through my jeans, giving it a slow, deliberate squeeze.
"Fuck," I groan, my forehead dropping against hers for a moment as I try to steady myself-but it's no use.
"I need you, Theo," she whispers, stroking me through the fabric, her lips brushing along my neck. "I need you now."
And that's it.
I slide my hands beneath her thighs and lift her straight off the counter like she weighs nothing. She gasps, gripping my shoulders as I carry her through the hallway, not breaking our eye contact for a second.
"You're gonna feel me tonight, Soph," I mutter against her skin, voice thick and low. "You're gonna remember this-us. I'm gonna make sure of it."
She bites her lip, pupils blown wide, and I swear I've never seen anything so fucking beautiful.
I push my bedroom door open with my shoulder and step inside. The second her back hits the bed, I'm on her again-mouth, hands, all of me. Like I've been starved. Like loving her is the only thing that's ever made me feel whole.
Clothes fall away in rushed movements, flung somewhere across the room as our mouths stay locked, gasps and soft moans breaking through between kisses. Her skin is so warm against mine, our bare bodies tangled as if they've always belonged like this. I press her into the mattress, mapping every inch of her with my hands, my lips, my need.
I trail hard, open-mouthed kisses from her collarbone down to her neck, sucking just enough to make her gasp, to remind her I was here. That I am here.
Then my hand glides between her thighs and I feel the way her breath catches, her legs instinctively parting for me.
"When was the last time you touched yourself, love?" I ask, voice low and rough against her skin.
"Uh..." she lets out a shaky breath, trying to think. "The last time we had sex."
I still for a second and look up at her, raising a brow. "Seriously?"
She nods, her face flushed and lips parted just slightly.
I slide two fingers through her inside, feeling just how ready she is, and fuck-it nearly breaks me.
"Ughh... yes... ah-" she arches her back, hands clutching the sheets as I move my fingers slowly, deliberately. I lean in to kiss her neck, her jaw, the corner of her mouth, never stopping the rhythm.
"Faster, Theo. Fastee-" she whimpers, her voice cracking like she's on the edge.
Her body responds to every touch, every press of my lips, like she's been waiting just as long as I have-like this is something we've both been starving for.
"I need to make this good for you," I breathe against her skin, voice gravelly with hunger. "Don't worry, love. I'm gonna give you everything you've been missing. Every. Damn. Inch of it."
Her lashes flutter, and she stares at me like I'm the only thing that exists in her world. "You better," she whispers, her voice soft but loaded, teasing, wrecking me.
I grin against her cheek and bite it gently, just to hear that gasp I've been starving for.
Then it hits me. A filthy, perfect idea.
"I've got something in mind," I say, slowly sliding my fingers out of her. She whines from the loss, hips twitching forward on instinct.
"Why... why did you stop?" she breathes, her brows knitting together, and fuck, that needy look on her face almost has me wanting to forget the idea and fucking her good.
Almost.
But instead, I smirk and lie back on the bed, resting my head against the pillows like I've already planned this down to the second.
"Sit on me," I say.
She blinks, confused, and starts to shift toward my waist, but I shake my head.
"Not there, love."
Her lips part, unsure. "Then... where?"
"My face."
Her eyes widen like I just broke her brain.
"Wait, what-"
"You heard me." I reach out and trail my fingers down the side of her thigh. "Sit on my face, Soph."
Her cheeks flush, full-blown panic setting into her expression as she sits there frozen, like she doesn't believe I'm serious.
"I'm-" she bites her lip and looks down at her body, "I'm not light, I'll crush yo-"
I don't even let her finish that thought.
I sit up, grab her hips, and pull her closer until I can look her dead in the eyes. My voice is steel and fire.
"I don't give a fuck about your weight. You hear me?" My grip tightens slightly, not enough to hurt, just enough to make her feel know how serious I am. "I want you on my face. I want to drown in you, taste you till your legs shake. I want you to ride my mouth until you're so fucked out you forget your own name."
Her lips part. She doesn't say a word. Just breathes, heavy and shaky.
"I want your sweet, sexy ass on me. Soph," I say again, " please, I need to taste you."
She stares at me, eyes wide, lips parted, stunned speechless.
But then she moves. Slow, hesitant at first. Crawling up my chest, every inch of her body dragging across mine like a tease, until she's hovering right above me.
"Good girl," I whisper, lying back with a grin that's half-devotion, half-devour-you-alive. "Come on, love. Let me show you how much I missed you."
I groan, hands gripping her hips tight, guiding her down until she's right where I want her.
"Good fucking girl," I murmur, eyes locked on the heat between her thighs. "Now let me wreck you properly so you can know how sorry I am."
And then I pull her down.
The moment she lowers herself onto me, I lose it.
Her thighs tremble slightly as she settles, and I slide my arms around them, locking her into place like she belongs there-because she does. The second my tongue meets her clit, she gasps loud, one hand flying to the headboard while the other fists my hair like she's afraid I might stop.
But I don't stop.
I devour.
I want her to feel this.
All of it.
I want her to remember this night every time she closes her eyes.
She grinds down-hesitant at first, but then I groan and pull her in harder, and that hesitation vanishes. Her hips roll, and I swear I could die right now and be fine, because this? This is heaven.
I lick her slow, then hard, flicking and dragging and sucking her clit like I'm starving for her-and hell, I am. I let her grind against my mouth, chase that high, ride every inch of my tongue until she's gasping my name like a prayer and a curse at the same time.
Her hips roll, needy and desperate, and I hold her tighter, groaning into her as her taste coats my tongue.
"F-fuck, Theo," she cries, voice cracking as she tilts her head back, riding my face harder, losing control. "Oh my god, don't stop. Don't you dare stop."
I feel her start to fall apart and I slide one finger back inside her, then two, curling them just right.
Her body jerks. "Shit-Theo, oh-oh my god-"
I lift my eyes and lock onto hers, even as I keep my mouth on her. Her head falls back, her hands gripping the headboard, nails scraping wood. She's panting, her thighs clenching around my face, but I don't stop. I can't.
She starts to shake, her moans coming faster, sharper.
"That's it, baby," I groan against her, lips wet with her. "Cum for me."
And she does-loud and gasping, her whole body tensing above me, thighs squeezing around my head as I keep licking her through it. Her hands dive into my hair, tugging so hard it hurts, but I love it.
When she finally collapses forward, breathless and wrecked, I hold her tight. Her cheek presses against my chest as she catches her breath, skin flushed and glowing.
"I can't feel my legs," she whispers, laughing softly.
I chuckle, chest rising and falling fast. "Good. That was the goal."
She lifts her head, still panting, and looks at me with eyes full of heat and something even deeper-something that feels like love.
I tuck her hair behind her ear. "You good?"
She nods slowly, then smirks. "Now it's your turn."
And damn-just like that, my cock hardens even more.
She lowers herself between my legs, hesitating for a second like she's nervous but then I see that glint in her eyes. The shy ones are always the worst, and I know I'm about to pay for every second I made her wait.
Her fingers wrap around me-soft, curious, like she's discovering me all over again. She drags her hand slowly, her touch light and maddening, watching my face with that gentle, unsure smile that only makes it worse.
"Soph," I grit out, locking eyes with her. She looks up at me through her lashes, all innocence and heat, and gives me the softest squeeze that makes my hips jerk forward involuntarily.
"Stop teasing me."
Her lips twitch. "Hmm..." she hums, pretending to think as she strokes me once, slowly. "Let me think about it."
Before I can beg again, she leans down and drags her tongue along the side of my length-slow, so damn slow I almost see white.
Then she pulls back, her eyes wide and her lips slick with mischief. "No."
I groan, falling back against the bed with my elbows propped behind me, just trying to breathe. "Please, Soph. Please."
Her thumb flicks over my tip and my hips jolt again.
I'm going to die.
"You made me suffer for two weeks," she whispers, voice soft but firm. "You shut me out... ignored me... even thought about leaving me." She leans in, her breath hot against me. "So now... you can suffer for two minutes."
I groan, dragging a hand over my face. "I'm going to die."
She laughs softly-God, I missed that laugh-and her strokes are slow, deliberate, driving me halfway to madness. Just enough to make my muscles tense, my breath catch in my throat... before she backs off again, leaving me aching.
The torture goes on for what feels like forever. Seconds stretch into minutes as she keeps stroking me, slow and steady, driving me insane. Eventually, she takes pity on me. Her pace quickens, and it's no longer just her hand I want
I want her fucking mouth.
I need it.
"Fuck," I whisper, my fingers curling into the sheets.
She trails her tongue around the tip of my cock as she strokes slowly again, heat and torment in one motion, and I swear the world tilts.
"Yes," I breathe out, my voice strained and trembling. "Please, Soph... more."
She doesn't say anything at first, just keeps her eyes locked on mine as her pace shifts-slow, then just enough to make my spine arch off the bed. My fingers twitch like they're searching for her, needing her.
"More, Soph," I groan, almost helpless now. "More..." she's turned me into a begging man and fuck I love it.
"You want more?"
I nod. "You have no idea," I whisper, reaching for her face, but she leans just out of reach, teasing me with her touch and the warmth of her breath.
"Good." She circles the tip of my cock with her tongue, then kisses it. "Then you'll love this," she whispers before sliding her mouth over me and starting to suck.
"Shit... fuck!" My hips jerk forward instinctively, and she pulls back slightly at the sudden movement. "I'm sorry, Soph, I just-"
She cuts me off by pushing herself down again, taking me deeper. I feel it hit the back of her throat.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Soph... fucking hell, Soph." I try to stop her, but she doesn't let up. Her eyes glisten, and I know it's too much.
"Stop," I rasp, trying to pull away. She bites down gently on the skin, making me curse.
"Fuck, Soph, seriously-stop. Please."
She pulls back, a trail of saliva glistening between us. "What?" she pants, breathless, her expression a mix of lust and annoyance. She looks undeniably gorgeous, but those tears in her eyes-whether from pleasure or not-still twist something in my chest.
"I want to make love to you," I say, the words falling from my lips before I can think. Her eyes widen. "Let me make love to you, Soph."
"Theo..." Her voice softens, and she leans forward to kiss me. I meet her halfway, kissing her like a man who finally got what he didn't know he needed.
"You sure this isn't just because you're worried about my throat tomorrow?" she teases, pulling back slightly with a sly look.
I choke on a laugh before letting it out fully, surprised by her timing. "No, it's not about that." It was, at least a little, but I'm not about to kill the mood by admitting it. Besides, if my cock turns any darker, I might need to be rushed to the ER.
She starts to lie back, but I stop her with a hand on her waist. My voice comes out low, rough.
"Ride me this time."
"Theo," she breathes, her voice a mix of shock and something else, and I can see I'm surprising her.
I smirk, leaning close to her ear, whispering, "Come on." Her body shudders as my hand slides to her breast, teasing her nipple. "Don't tell me in all those books of yours, you've never dreamed of riding someone. That someone should be me."
She gasps, her breath catching as I continue to toy with her nipple. "You know it's only you, Theo. Always you."
"Good." I lower my lips to her breast, kissing it softly. "Now, ride me, love."
I release her breast and grab a condom from my lower drawer, sliding it smoothly on my cock.
I lean back, watching her carefully. She hesitates for a moment, a hint of anxiety flickering across her face, but she listens to me. Slowly, she positions herself over me. I can't help but let out a soft groan as she lowers herself, feeling the heat of her, the way she fills me.
"That's it," I murmur, my voice low with approval. "You look so perfect like this, Soph. So fucking beautiful." I groan again as she begins to move, the way her body sinks down on me, her rhythm already making me lose myself in her.
She moves above me, slowly at first, her breath hitching as she finds a rhythm. The weight of her body against mine feels like an electric current, and I can't help but watch her, my hands resting on her waist, guiding her just enough to keep her close.
Every little shift, every soft gasp, feels like it's pulling me deeper into this moment with her.
"Theo," she whispers, her voice trembling with need, and it sends a rush through me. I feel her pulse quicken, her body starting to move faster, more urgently, and I can't get enough of it.
"Fuck, you're incredible," I rasp, my hands sliding up her sides before pulling her down to me. Her lips brush mine, but she's too breathless to kiss me properly.
Her hands press flat against my chest as she starts to ride me harder, her breath hitching every time our bodies meet. Then it hits her-this surge of pleasure she can't hold back-and she cries out.
"Oh God-Theo," she gasps, her voice cracking into a moan. "This feels so good... it feels so good."
That sound wrecks me. My hips arch up on instinct, driving into her deeper, and she lets out a scream that makes my head spin. Her body shakes above me, and her nails dig into my chest like she's trying to hold on to something solid.
Her movements grow desperate, more erratic, and I can feel her falling apart right in my hands. She leans into me, her forehead brushing mine as her breath comes in short, shaky bursts. I hold her tighter, guiding her hips as we move together, lost in the tension coiling tighter between us.
"Oh God-Theo," she cries out, voice raw. "Don't stop. Please-more."
Her body is trembling, her hands clutching my shoulders like she's hanging on for dear life. The way she says my name, over and over, hits me somewhere deep, like this isn't just about lust - it's her trusting me completely in this moment.
"I've got you," I whisper, voice thick, brushing her hair back as I press a kiss to her cheek. "You're doing so good, Soph."
She moves faster, more urgently, chasing that edge with every breathless cry. Her chest heaves, her skin flushed, and when she moans again - louder this time, raw and uninhibited - it pushes me right to the brink.
"Right there," she gasps. "Faster-please, Theo-"
I match her rhythm, thrusting up to meet her, and her whole body arches with a loud cry, her nails digging into my skin.
She trembles in my arms, and I can feel the wave crash over her - a mix of gasping breaths and broken moans - and I follow right after, clinging to her like I never want to let go.
"I want to come," she gasps, her voice shaking, desperate, as she moves faster against me.
"Me too," I breathe, gripping her hips tightly. "Let's come together, Soph."
I thrust up into her with more force, matching her pace, and her whole body reacts-arching, trembling, alive.
"I'm coming-Theo, I'm coming!" she cries out, her voice breaking into a scream as she falls over the edge.
"Fuck," I choke out, the heat in my spine exploding as I cum, right with her. My whole body tenses and then shudder as pleasure crashes over me. She slumps against my chest, trembling, her breath warm and quick on my skin.
For a long second, neither of us speaks. Just the sound of our breathing, the occasional heartbeat thudding against skin.
"That was..." she pants, voice airy and dazed. "That was..."
"Beautiful," I whisper, stroking her back gently.
She lifts her head just enough to look at me, a tired smile playing at her lips. "Yeah. Beautiful."
She leans in and kisses me softly, and I cup the back of her neck, deepening it, needing the closeness. When she finally pulls away, something shifts in her gaze. Her brows knit, and I see the flicker of realization in her eyes.
"I didn't say it back," she says quietly.
My brows pull together. "Say what back?"
She bites her bottom lip, a sudden shyness overtaking her features. It almost makes me laugh - how could she look shy after everything we just did?
"Love," I murmur, brushing a strand of damp hair off her forehead. "If it's hard for you, maybe... maybe you can tell me tomorrow."
She shakes her head. "No. I want to say it now."
Something in my chest tightens - not with fear, but with something warmer, deeper.
"I..." she pauses, her gaze searching mine before she exhales softly, a small, shaky smile playing at her lips. "I love you, too."
It's like everything stills for a second.
I'd been waiting to hear it-but now that she's said it, something shifts in me. Like everything that felt uncertain has finally clicked into place. She loves me. And I know it's real-not just because she said it, but because she meant it. If she didn't, she wouldn't have brought me back here. She wouldn't be in my arms right now.
If she didn't love me, she would've let me go.
But she didn't.
"Soph..." Her name leaves me in a breath.
She leans in and kisses my forehead gently. "I." Then she moves to my cheek, "love." And finally, she presses her lips to mine. "You. Too."
I chuckle, unable to stop the warmth blooming in my chest. I cup her face gently, letting my thumb brush her cheek. "I love you too."
She giggles softly, eyes glowing, and I can't help but mimic her little grsture.
"I." I kiss her forehead, once, twice, three times. "Love." I move to her cheeks, kissing each one four times. "You." Then I press a slow kiss to her lips, letting it linger, making sure she feels everything I'm trying to say. "So much."
She smiles at that, her eyes gleaming with affection. "You overdid mine," she pouts, and I laugh.
"And I'll keep overdoing it," I grin. "Every. Single. Time."
She lets out a laugh, but it turns into a soft yawn, her lashes fluttering. I remember-she always gets sleepy after sex.
"You wanna sleep, love?"
She nods, her eyes already heavy as she tries to roll to her side, but I tighten my arms around her, pulling her right back into me.
"Stay. I like it like this."
"You sure?" Her voice is soft, hesitant.
"Definitely," I say, brushing my fingers along her spine. "Now sleep, my love. I'm right here."
She relaxes, resting her head on my chest, and I silently hope my heartbeat isn't too wild-that she can't feel how happy she just made me.
"Sleep too," she mumbles.
"I will."
"You promise?"
I freeze for a second. That word-promise-it's bringing the memories back but I push them away. They can ruin my mind some other time. But not right now. Not with her. This is different. She's different.
"I promise," I whisper.
And I do. Because this-her, me, us-it's everything I didn't know I needed.
And she loves me.
That's all I'll ever need.