Nate
I wake up warm all over, feeling rested for the first time since everything happened with Alex.
But when I reach for Iris to hold her, my arm finds nothing but cool sheets, empty where she should be. I blink against the morning light shining through the curtain, my heart already picking up.
“Iris?” I call out.
No answer.
I push up on my elbows to scan the empty room, and when I don’t see her, I swing my legs over the side of the bed. Thankfully, the bathroom door is open a crack, enough for me to see her standing at the sink.
Of course, she’s here.
She ain’t having second thoughts about taking me back.
The relief quickly turns when I open the door fully and find her staring into the mirror, naked from head to toe and completely still. She flinches a little when I line myself up against her back, but she doesn’t pull away, so that’s something.
I push her hair to the side and kiss the curve of her neck. “Whatcha doing?”
She doesn’t answer. Doesn’t even look at me. And I can seethe tears threatening to spill over. “Hey. What is it, Darlin’?”
“Do you regret it?” She speaks up, her voice filled with a sadness I don’t understand. I thought we were good.
“Why the hell would you think that?” She looks down, and she doesn’t say anything, but it hits me. I know exactly what this is about. What my own thoughtless words have put into her head.
So I do something that Iris might be pissed at me for, but I can’t let her go on thinking I could ever regret her. I should’ve made it clear last night before we ever did anything.
My hand slides down slowly, giving her every chance to stop me. “N–Nate, what are you—”
I don’t squeeze or stroke, I ain’t trying to get her going right now. I just hold her soft skin in my hand. In the mirror, her eyes widen as she watches my hand grasp her where she thinks she’s undesirable.
“I don’t regret a damn thing. I loveallof you, Iris. I love this too.” I give her a little squeeze, earning a whimper that would be going straight to my dick if I wasn’t so damn sorry that I ever hurt her.
That must have been the right thing to say because she turns around and wraps her arms around me. I pull her in tight, sliding a hand up her back, my palm resting against the nape of her neck. Her voice cracks when she finally whispers, “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“I’m not trying to be emotional,” she says, the words tumbling out through her tears. “I was so happy last night. Iamhappy. I know you love me. But sometimes it hits so bad I can’t breathe. And I hate that I can’t ever be what you really want.”
My heart aches, thinking about her feeling like that. I run my hand through her messy hair. “You’re exactly what I want, Darlin’.”
She sniffles against me, her body trembling in my arms. “I don’t want to be too much, you already have so much on your plate and—”
I shake my head, pulling back, holding her by her arms, forcing her to look at me. “Hey, I don’t wanna hear any of that crazy talk. I don’t want you thinking you can’t tell me if you’re sad. Making you feel better is sorta in the boyfriend job description.”
“God, you’re such a sap,” she sniffles, but there’s a little smile tugging at her lips now.
“Yeah, well,” I brush my thumb over her damp cheek, catching the tears. “You love me for it.”
“Oh, do I?”
“Mhm, told me last night, can’t even try to deny it anymore.” The tight feeling in my chest eases as she melts against me, replaced by something warm.
We actually fixed things.
I can hardly believe it.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her reflection again, her naked body pressed against mine. And now that she ain’t so upset, I can’t help but notice that her ass looks real good in the morning light.
