Page 129 of Reckless
I smiled against his shirt.“You say that like it’s a problem.”
“It might be.”
“Yes.”
I leaned back enough to look up at him.“That sounds personal.”
“It is.”
“Stop looking at me like that while I’m getting dressed,” I said.
“Like what.”
“Like you’re memorizing something.”
“I am.”
“That is not helpful.”
“It’s not meant to be helpful.It’s meant to be honest.”
“Your honesty has a very specific effect on my blood pressure.”
“Good.”
“Stop saying good.That word has been weaponized.”
I finished getting dressed.By the time I was done, I was still glowing.
No other word for it.
It in my skin, in the softness of my mouth, in the weird buoyant looseness in my chest.
I had made the right choice.
That thought landed over and over as a kind of private miracle.
Not maybe.Not I hope I don’t regret it.
Not wow, that escalated.
The right choice.For my body.
For the woman I was, not the one who’d been carrying around old embarrassment like a secret stain.
We started back toward the path and this time when he took my hand, I didn’t even pretend to hesitate.
Xerses slowed once when my step faltered a little.
His gaze dropped .“Are you okay.”
That could have annoyed me.
It didn’t.
I liked that he noticed.
I liked it so much that I almost smiled before answering.
