“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced, already walking toward the bathroom. “Can you order dinner?”
“Of course,” I replied, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
She made it halfway down the hall before she slowed. Not much. Just enough that I noticed. Her shoulders dip as she exhaled, her steps a little more careful than they were earlier.
I finished ordering the food and set my phone down, already turning toward the hallway with every intention of joining her in the shower. I barely took a step before my phone rang.
Work.
Normally, I would let it ring. Tonight, I want nothing more than steam and her hands and the quiet that comes with both. But the name on the screen makes me stop. It was Monarch, the indie record label I’d recently acquired.
This couldn't wait.
The call stretched longer than I expected. Updates turn into questions. Questions turn into decisions that couldn't wait until morning. By the time I hung up, my jaw was tight and I could no longer hear the sound of running water. Instead I heard faint sounds coming from one of the rooms downstairs.
I stepped into the living room and that's when I saw her.
Elise stood near the couch dressed in one of my shirts, the hem brushing the tops of her thighs with a pair of shorts peeking out. Smooth legs. Bare feet. She looked comfortable. Like she belonged here in a way that felt permanent.
For a second, I just stared.
“I thought for sure you were going to join me.” She says, a small smile on her lips.
“I was,” I answered truthfully. “Work called.”
She walked closer, and the sweet scent of mangoes clung to her skin, pulling me in before she even said another word. “Everything okay?”
I nodded my head, brushing my thumb along her arm. “Nothing you need to worry about.”
She studied my face for a beat, then let it go. “What did you order for dinner?”
“Chinese,”
Her eyes lit up. “Did you—”
“Get extra flats than drums?” I cut her off, already knowing what she was going to ask. “Of course.”
She laughed, soft and pleased, then leaned up and kissed me. It’s quick but full. Familiar in the best way.
“I love you.”
The words land like they always do. Solid, certain and I rest my forehead against hers.
“Say it again.”
She smiled wider and kissed me once more. “I love you.”
I guided her toward the couch, her body fitting easily against mine, the night settling in around us like it was always meant to.
Once we settled on the couch, I shifted, guiding her gently until she was stretched out beside me. Without a word, I lifted her legs and pulled her feet into my lap. She let out a soft sound of surprise, but relaxed immediately.
“What are you doing?”
I glanced down at her feet, fingers already warm as I wrapped my hands around one heel. “You were sore.”
She exhaled, long and slow, her head tipping back against the cushion. “I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to.”
