Page 23 of The Rhythm of their Souls

We both stand quietly, just two hearts beating at a rapid pace. I look between his eyes and his mouth. His full lips are slightly parted. The sight of it causes me to bite my bottom lip. His grip tightens on my arm slightly.

He lets out a long exhale. “You can’t do things like that in front of me and expect me to be good, Olive.” His words cause me to sway back. He doesn’t let go of my arm, which prevents me from stumbling backyards. He speaks again before I can process what he just growled at me. “Come sit with me.”

He finally releases my arm, and the disconnection from his touch makes my chest ache. Theo gives me a reassuring look before heading for the bed.

A tiny piece of me whispers turn around and go back to my room, but a big part of me screams, “Girl get in that damn bed with him!” Which takes little to no convincing.

I awkwardly climb on the bed beside him, trying to hold my shirt down so that I don’t foolishly show my panties again. I sit close but ensure there’s distance between us. I’m still baffled at everything that has occurred in the last hour. How the hell did I end up in this bed beside him?

We sit in silence for a while, gazing out the window at the moon. Theo asks questions about my family, hobbies I like, and so on. I ask the same of him. I briefly mention Mom and her battles. I even talk about my childhood and some things Nora and I endured. I share a lot about Nora and how much she means to me and give small details about Jake and how it’s affected her.

It’s refreshing to get things off my chest, even if they are only the breadcrumbs of my life. Theo sits quietly, soaking in every word. I feel safe and comfortable having this deep conversation with him.

There is a sliver of me that wants to tell him about Noah. He needs to know where my hesitation emerges from, but every time I go to speak on it, the words won’t form. Maybe I’m worried about how he’ll react to it. What if he looks at me differently? I already feel shame towards myself. I’m unsure if I can accept him potentially judging me for my past decisions that I’m still trying to move on from.

Fuck Noah, but the wounds he created will always hover. I understand that if Theo and I continue this, I must let him know. For now, it’ll have to wait. The right time will come.

We talk about his family a lot. His parents were high school sweethearts and have been together since. He has one adopted sister, and her name is Emma. She just turned nine recently. She’s his cousin on his dad’s side. Unfortunately, her biological mom and dad are in active addiction, in and out of jail and rehab. They didn’t hesitate to sign their rights over to Theo’s parents when she was only four.

I feel so much for that little girl; her experiences remind me a lot of myself and my past battles. Thank goodness his parents saved her. Theo seems so proud when he talks about her; it warms my heart to see the love he has for that girl. Maybe I’ll get the chance to meet her one day.

Aside from Danielle, I’ve never had someone want to hear about me or my life. And I’ve never been much for opening up to people, but Theo makes it easy to let go. He’s soaked in every word, and I think he’d listen to me talk for hours longer if he could have it his way. Never in a million years would I have guessed I’d be here in this moment with this man.

Let’s not forget his good looks and catching features. He has been shirtless the entire time, and I’ve caught myself staring at his toned chest different times. Theo is all man. Point. Blank. Fucking period.

Thump, thump, thump. I squint my eyes open; it’s so bright in this room. I wonder what time it is. Or when I went to sleep finally? Thump, thump, thump. What the hell is that loud pounding in my ear?

I take a moment to process the sound and orient myself. Whoa, somehow, I fell asleep on Theo’s chest. My left arm is resting across his stomach. I turn my head and look up; he is still slightly sitting up on his pillow. His arm is gripping around my bare waist. Mind you, my shirt is bunched up to just right under my breast. Okay, now I’m panicking.

How in the hell did I get myself in this position? Last night, we sat together in this bed and delved into an in-depth discussion about many aspects of our lives. We shared stories, exchanged thoughts, and explored various perspectives. Neither of us asked or checked what time it was; time meant nothing. It was the two of us exploring each other’s thoughts. Most guys would rather jump to business and get their dick wet. But not for one second did I think that was Theo’s intention.

His body is so warm against mine. His heart beats strong and steady. It’s what I imagine a pure unbroken heart sounds like. I could stay in this position forever. This intimate feeling is so new to me that I would be okay with it sticking around for a while. His muscular arm rests along my side, while his hand secures my waist tightly.

Shit, this feels too intimate. This is moving faster than it needs to. This man doesn’t understand what he’s potentially getting himself into. My life is toxic and depressing, and anyone who tries nudging their way in ends up poisoned by it.

I gently grab his forearm, and his grip on my waist loosens. I slowly slide his arm from my side, but he doesn’t budge. Thank goodness. I feel like a ninja on a mission to escape my enemy’s territory. I finally make it off the bed and tiptoe towards the door. I’m so glad he didn’t just witness my pathetic attempt.

Just as my hand grabs the door frame, I hear Theo shift in the bed. I hesitantly look over my shoulder. What are the odds that he’s now sitting on the edge of the bed. His disheveled hair is so adorable, indicating that he had a good night’s rest.

I turn fully around and rub my hands together nervously. He grips the mattress on either side of him. I watch his shoulders and chest flex, showing off how fit he is. I can still feel my head laying against his impressive pecks.

Theo gives me a sly look. “Those were great bailing skills, Olive,” he says teasingly.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I whisper in response, “Sorry, I needed to use the restroom and didn’t want to wake you. You seemed so comfortable.”

He gives me a nod and runs his hand through his blond locks. “ I was, thanks to you.”

My cheeks become warm and tinted with pink. Surely, he doesn’t notice the way his words impact my body. As if reading each other’s minds, we say nothing more. Things are about to get insanely interesting.

Chapter 15

Danielle dives onto the bed directly beside me. She matches my posture and lies on her stomach propped on her elbows. I give her my most annoyed expression. I know exactly what she’s doing and what she’s about to ask me.

Danielle kicks her feet in the air like an excited schoolgirl ready for some tea to be spilled. Here we go, in three.. two..”So, is it big?” she exclaims.

I want to slap the shit out of her right now. “Oh my gosh, Danielle, shut the fuck up!” I say behind my teeth.

She has the nerve to roll her eyes, “What? I genuinely want to know. Does it scream eggplant emoji?”