7. Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Stella
Everything feels different. My body, my heart, even the way the morning light spills into the cabin—it’s all changed. I stretch under the covers, my skin still humming with the memory of last night. Pete sleeps soundly beside me, his arm draped over my waist, warm and steady.
I turn my head to look at him, taking in the quiet rise and fall of his chest, the way his dark lashes rest against his rugged cheekbones. He’s beautiful in a way I don’t think he realizes, in a way that makes me ache with how much I love him.
Love.
The realization crashes over me, leaving me breathless. I love him. I love Pete Callahan with everything I am.
And I would give up anything to be with him. If he asked me to leave my job, to move up here permanently, I would. The thought of leaving the library, the life I’ve built, stings, but it’s nothing compared to the idea of not being with him.
But Pete would never ask that of me. I know that, deep down. He’d never take away something I love. Still, the worry lingers. Can I be enough for him here, in this quiet world he’s built? Can I fit into his solitude without pulling him too far out of it?
He shifts beside me, murmuring my name in his sleep, and the warmth in my chest expands. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together.
For now, I press a soft kiss to his shoulder and close my eyes, savoring the feeling of being exactly where I belong.