Chapter 12 #3
I wake up before the light even clears the edge of the window.
The bedroom is caught in that gray, quiet pause right before dawn, and for a solid ten seconds, I don't open my eyes.
My chest is tight. The familiar weight of the fever has thinned out, but my head is pounding with a steady, dull rhythm.
I draw a breath, half-expecting to smell the stale, empty air of a room that has been missing its center for over a year.
Instead, it hits me. Lavender and warm skin.
My eyes snap open. The sheets are tangled across my waist, and right beside me, her head is tucked against the crook of my elbow.
Lily. Her short dark hair is scattered against the white pillowcase, her breathing slow and perfectly even.
I stretch my arm across her waist, my palm resting over the curve of her hip, anchoring her to the mattress as if she might turn back into a phantom if I let go.
An incredible, breathless surge of happiness hits my chest, so sharp it makes my throat ache. I stay completely frozen, just watching the slow rise and fall of her shoulders. She looks softer like this, the sharp defensive lines she wore at the office entirely erased by sleep.
I slide out from under the quilt with deliberate care, ensuring the mattress doesn't creak. My feet hit the cold floor. The headache throbs behind my eyes as I stand, but I push past it, padding barefoot down the hallway and into the kitchen.
The house is dead quiet. I turn on the espresso machine, the low rumble of the grinder filling the space, and drop two slices of artisan bread into the toaster.
While the butter melts on the hot crust, I lean against the granite counter and just look.
For months, this room was a graveyard of routines I didn't know how to run.
Now, with her clothes upstairs and the smell of breakfast in the air, the house finally makes sense again.
I arrange the plate, grab the two steaming mugs, and make my way back up the stairs.
She is sitting up against the headboard when I push the door open with my elbow. She has pulled my black t-shirt over her shoulders, the fabric swallowing her frame, and her eyes track me as I cross the rug.
"You're awake," she says, her voice low and sleepy.
"Brought you breakfast," I murmur, setting the mugs on the nightstand before handing her the plate of toast.
I climb back onto my side of the bed, tucking my legs under the duvet, and wrap both hands around my coffee cup. The warmth of the ceramic seeps into my palms. I watch her take a small bite of the toast, the crunch loud in the quiet room, before she leans her head back against the wood.
"Where do you want to go?" I ask out of the blue, looking at her over the rim of my cup.
Lily pauses, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion as she holds the bread midway to her mouth. "What?"
"Where do you want to go, Lily?" I repeat, a small smile finally breaking through the heaviness of my face. "Your list. The one on the mirror."
Her eyes widen a fraction, a sudden patch of faint pink spotting her cheeks. "Noah... that's supposed to be a network company trip. For the senior producer role. I have to earn the slot first."
"Why wait that long if I can just pay for it right now?" I ask, my voice dropping into a quieter rhythm. "Italy. Japan. Anywhere, baby. You pick the destination."
She stares at me for a long beat, the surprise on her face slowly melting into something much softer. A genuine, beautiful smile hooks the corner of her lips. "Ooh," she murmurs, tilting her head.
She hurriedly drops the tray to the side, snatching my coffee cup from my fingers and setting both cups straight onto the floor. I look down at the floor, letting out a low, genuine laugh as I look back up at her.
"Okay," I chuckle, my shoulders dropping. "What are you doing?"
"Setting the room to kiss you," she says, her eyes locked entirely on my mouth.
"I like the sound of that," I murmur.
Before the words can even fully leave my lungs, she lunges across the space between us.
Her mouth slams into mine with a sudden, sweet heat that makes me forget the headache entirely.
I lean into the rush of her body, my hand coming up to cup her cheek.
She moans against my lips, a soft, broken sound that vibrates straight into my chest, before she pulls back just a fraction.
Her skin is warm beneath my palm, and she leans heavily into the touch, her eyes dark as she looks at me.
"God, I've missed you," she whispers, her breath uneven against my mouth.
She holds my gaze, her expression turning serious as she slides her fingers through mine until our knuckles lock. "I hope it will keep being like this, Noah. The peace. Us."
My thumb strokes her cheekbone. "It has to," I say, the honesty raw and unblinking in my throat. "Because I can't ever lose you again, Lily. And plus... God, I would do absolutely anything just to keep that smile on your lips."
She pulls me back down, burying her face into my neck, and we just hold each other in the quiet morning light.