Ten: Whe

Bir

la

lden light over the photographs Mom had set up: childhood snapshots of me grinning with missing teeth,

n't flinch every time he touched my shoulder.

ests came and went, Mom's friends from the gallery, a few classmates from school I barely knew, a

was the

ni

close enou

se enough

like it was a shield. Every so often, our eyes met across

arp. But his jaw kept twitching like he was grindin

aw

dropped when I la

rkened when I t

the counter when someone

like a man

love

holding the cake in front of me as

lickering candles

sed m

'd stop pr

w the

he champagne. Someone turned on the music. The house buzzed

most people had left. His voice was lo

ing in. "Does it mak

ed. "It make

thundered

ck before I c

king. The storm ke

to a last-minute opening out of state, she left in a rush, kis

eft us

he two

the

elt too big

ngerous. She had kissed my cheek, smiled through her lipstick, and apologized for the sudden trip.

she

we wer

d gone dim, the guests had vanished like smoke, and I'd

hat stayed was t

t one of Daniel's old sweaters I'd stolen from the laundry months ago, too long in the sleeves, soft arou

ightee

e boundaries that

lly. Not

es we built

ck broke t

t as my door

't step

r damp from the shower, shadows beneath his eyes like he ha

appy birthday again,"

me upstairs," I said,

he sweater. His sweater

. The door clicke

said, voice strained. "You d

whispered

ldn't bear to look at me.

burn w

"Don't.....don't sa

. "I've stayed quiet. I let you preten

d at his sides. "This isn't just about wha

eady des

broke

h and heat and surrender. I gasped into him, fingers fisting his shirt. There was no hesitation thi

sped. "God, I tr

d, dragging him with m

alls. But inside, all I could hear was the sound of our breathing

I pulled him on to

and deeply. He thrust inside me."You're

he had left, it br

owed wasn

was

gg

cl

ng a prayer. The storm outside didn't compare to the one between us - every

e, he brought out his Dick and I at

ent, he ju

there was no

rt of him