“I can’t wait for a week to go by without this gunk on my face.”
“Turn around.” He gently pushed my shoulders so my back was to him and I faced the seats. It was a sight I was used to now, but not with him behind me, shifting around.
“Okay, what?” I asked. I thought he was going to talk dirty in my ear or run his hands under my dress. Both would have been welcome, but neither would have taken that long.
His lips brushed the base of my neck, running shivers up to my ear.
“I’ve been a very patient man. You’ve slept all over the world.”
We’d talked every night, and when we were in the same city, we shared a bed. It hadn’t been enough, not by a long shot, and whenever we parted ways, the pain of separation was almost physical. I missed him every moment, not for the safety but for the pleasure of his love. I felt as though I’d had plenty of good moments, but the great ones belonged to him.
“I’m back now.” I touched his hand as it rested on my shoulder.
“You are. And I want you to sleep in my bed every night. I want your body next to mine every morning. I want your voice to be the last thing I hear at night and the first thing I hear when I wake up. I want you with me.”
Before I could agree, he reached above me. I caught a flash of metal and red.
“I want you to move in with me.”
He placed a red ribbon around my neck. I touched the weight on the end. It was a key. Shiny and new. For me. I couldn’t stop looking at the way the dull brass caught the lights, as if it was so much more important than its color suggested.
“Carter. I . . . Wow.”
“You’ll have plenty of room. I’ll clean out the garage, and you can use it as a studio. Mom’s moving out, since Phin’s mostly grown up now. And he loves you. He really does.”
Did he? That boy gave me almost as much happiness as his father. He made me laugh every time I saw him.
“I’m his biggest fan.” I turned to face Carter and put my arms around his shoulders. “And yours.” I looked at the key and let it drop. “So, yeah. Let’s do this.”
“I love you, tiny dancer.”
“I love you, Carter.”
We kissed with all the warmth of two people who knew how to live and how to love.
AUTHOR REVIEWS
Montlake Publishing Five “we got this” stars. This company really did its research. I especially like Charlotte Herscher as the developmental editor; Christopher Werner as the acquisitions editor; and their superior taste in designers, in particular Shasti O’Leary Soudant, who owned the best WTF moment when I saw her beautiful cover.
Beta Readers
Five stars aren’t enough for Kyla Linde (dancing) and Jean Siska (legal accuracy). They are flawless. The author, however, probably let an error slip through. Review to come!
Family
A billion “inspiration” stars to the author’s husband and two beautiful children. Before you ask, we don’t have pets because I’m allergic, but if we did, it would be a yappy little dog.
The Team Two stars for Social Butterfly PR for pure originality and constant support. Docked three because it’s boring how organized and knowledgeable they are all the time, every time. Especially Jenn. I’m totally over her perfection at her job.
Partners
One star each for all my girls, up to a bazillion, especially the talkers of shop, the Slackers, and the rest of you guys who share and support every damn day. Five for Amy Tannenbaum for doing a terrific edit and always explaining stuff to me that I should already know but don’t.
The Indie Community
DNF
It looks like I’ll never get to the bottom of this well of good spirit and generosity. When I talk to artist friends about how the indie writing community supports one another through drama and poor sales, how mentoring and data sharing are normal, they can’t even believe it. They think I’m exaggerating. Meanwhile, I don’t know how anyone functions without friends.
Five “Best for Last” Stars Readers, fans, bloggers.
All the stars in the sky.