Page 72 of The Heartbreak Hotel

They stayed like that for a long time. Riley curled up on Ella’s chest, their limbs intertwined. When Riley broke their cocoon and reached over to the bedside table for a tissue, Ella met her gaze.

“Do you want to have some space?” she asked.

Riley dabbed at her swollen eyes and red nose, then her sad blues glanced back at her. “Would you stay? I understand if—”

“Of course I’ll stay.”

Her mouth curved, and Ella pulled her back into her arms again, arranging herself behind her.

“I’ve never been the little spoon before,” Riley said, backing herself into Ella.

Heat flared between Ella’s legs, but she ignored it, kissing Riley’s shoulder. “I’ve never been the big spoon either. But I wanna hold you.”

A beat passed, then Riley let out a big sigh. “That sounds nice.”

It wasn’t long until Ella felt Riley relax into the curve of her body, her breathing falling into a shallow rhythm. She must’ve been exhausted. Ella nuzzled closer, soaking in the heat, wishing she could zap all of Riley’s sadness away.

As with several other moments in their time together, Ella sensed this openness didn’t come easily to Riley, despite the things she taught on the course. Something about that made Ella like her even more. Riley wasn’t perfect. She had her flaws and weaknesses, like everyone else. Getting to see those sharper, vulnerable parts cast her in a new light. One that spread into Ella’s heart and firmly planted itself in its centre.

She held her a little tighter, careful not to wake her, and rested her eyes for just a moment. At one point, she felt Ziggy join the bundle on the bed, his soft fur tickling her nose before he curled up in between their legs.

Ella woke sometime later, the room darkened by the descending sun. Riley and she were still cuddled together, and as she blinked, their conversation slowly seeped back into her memory.

It was a lot of information to process—even after one of the best naps of Ella’s life.

Her bladder demanded her attention, so she carefully shuffled away from Riley and peeled herself from the bed. She padded across the wooden floor to the bathroom and hissed as she sat on the freezing toilet seat.

Their situation had already been complicated, with Riley’s work and Ella due to leave at the end of the week. Throwing in a haunting anniversary, with some unresolved trauma, just added more pieces to the puzzle.

Ella didn’t want to be selfish, but she also needed to think of herself. She didn’t want to be a replacement or a consolation prize. She wanted to be someone’s number one; she wouldn’t settle for second best again. Ever. She needed to think about her own happiness.

But didn’t Riley make her happy?

Ugh. My head’s a mess.

The creaking of floorboards jarred her from staring at the white tiles. Riley must be up.

She forced herself to stand with a groan, flushed, then washed her hands. Her stomach bubbled. Why was she suddenly so nervous?

She found Riley at the kitchen sink, filling a glass of water. She gulped hastily, then ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face. She turned when she heard the door, and the smile blooming across her face made Ella smile too.

“Hey, everything okay?” she asked, offering Ella the glass.

Ella took a swig. “I think so. Just processing.”

“It’s a lot. I get that.” She observed her, as though she were trying to uncover anything hiding beneath the surface. Her eyes were less red, but the puffiness lingered.

“How are you feeling?” Ella asked.

“My mind feels lighter, but my body feels heavy. Like I could sleep for a thousand years.”

Ella traced her jaw with her fingertips. “How about I run you a bath?”

Surprise flickered across her features. “Really?”

“Maybe we can channel the healing powers of the hot springs into your tub.”

The corners of her mouth lifted. “Does that mean you’ll be joining me, then?”