: Smoke Bene

la

didn't feel

skin like shame. Warm

ached in places I hadn't known existed before last night. Every breath

I'd le

wanted t

as alrea

hadn't stayed. I wasn't surprised. I didn't even blame

g inside me twi

en him all of me..

ok as I moved, a deep ache blooming through my hips, raw and real. I

e e

e m

diff

ken open, and I hadn't

to crush the thing blooming underneath the reckless thrill of knowing he wanted me too. That it wasn't one-si

what

. Not to steal glances across the kitchen table. No

m for the rest

could talk to, what I could say. I thought about texting Lauren, just something dumb an

n something I didn

the front door open and shut again. I waited.

mug, sleeves rolled up, eyes locked on

ok at me whe

that I

said, voi

Quiet.

different now - not jus

ing against the counter, try

lly loo

than I remembered. "I don't

hide it. "Because it happened,

mehow, that answer was l

ter," I said, my voice shaking. "You ca

wly. "Bella, I'm trying

n I meant to. "Because the 'right thing' didn't stop y

cut the air like

p hard, eye

e the weight of everything was pressing on his

ked. "

ants it to be big. Elegant. She aske

hte

etween us like

the flicker of hope on my face.

ive you something

tight. "Some

the same girl he once walked past in the hallway without a second thought. The same girl who used to sit at the kit

didn

sure I wanted t

in his eyes. "After the party... I'll figure t

was soft b

aped around

irth

ything would c

" I wh

dn't

dn't

peak again

ing, one thing pulsed in my chest like

ared to tur

f what he migh