TWENTY EIGHT

ESTELLA

Blue light flickered on the ceiling, the TV throwing picture after picture at me, all of which I ignored.

I’d cycled through anger and loss in the hours since Graham had walked out, finally sinking into the lonely depths of acceptance.

My oversized t-shirt showed evidence of my miserable night, splodges of chocolate ice cream littering the front. Limp hair half hung around my face, my bun lopsided and loose.

What would be next?

Inside, my heart ached to go home. To crawl into Leo’s arms and beg him to keep me. To kiss me and adore me, hidden from the world in our own private haven. But hiding from my mess wouldn’t heal me. Covering the falling down of my life would just sticky tape it together.

But tape would peel, and over time the fissures would expand. I couldn’t press myself into that one house forever. I needed more from a relationship. I’d just left one that had some huge cracks which I’d ignored for too long. Putting myself in an alternative version of that would rot me from the inside in a different way.

Tossing back my fluffy, heated throw, I shivered at the chill in the living room. My bare legs goose-bumping as I stood, stretching my aching muscles after far too long laid in the same spot.

Entering the kitchenette, I wrestled with a bottle of wine, groaning as the cork crumbled, leaving little floaters dancing on the red.

Filling the glass far too high, I leaned against the counter and fished out the brown specks between large gulps.

A loud bang on the door had me fumbling with the glass, nearly dropping it.

Had Graham come back?

It was nearly two in the morning.

Placing the glass down with a shaking hand, my other fingers slid to the still bruised spot on my throat.

Fear spiked.

Another series of bangs had me inching backwards.

‘Estella,’ Leo’s voice called through the door, desperation peaking.

My mind fogged. Leo?

‘I need to see you. Please?’

The break in his voice hit me right in the chest. I tore over the floor, unlatching the door and throwing it open.

Leo leaned against the doorframe, one thick hand steadying himself above his head.

‘Starshine,’ he whispered. ‘It’s good to see your face.’

He half stumbled into my home, looking paler than I’d ever seen him. I caught him against me, his eyes raking over my throat.

‘I’ll kill him for hurting you,’ he threatened, the back of his knuckles lightly grazing the tender skin.

‘I’m okay.’ My eyes blurred as I reached up and caressed his face. ‘You came.’

‘You are the best thing that ever happened to me, Estella. The thought of losing you outweighs everything else.’

Sniffing back a sob, I pressed my hand to his chest, right over the part he’d marked for me. ‘I love you, Leo. I always have.’

Our lips met in a clash of emotion, tear streaked and love-studded. I whimpered as his hands shifted into my hair, tipping my head for better access to my mouth, the taste of red wine mingling with peppermint. Minutes passed lost in one another, finally losing the fight to stay away.

Leo pulled me to my knees, resting his forehead against mine as we panted.

‘Be mine,’ he pleaded, his hands raking down my bed, tightening our bodies to one another.

‘Always.’ I grinned, wrapping both arms around his neck. ‘God, I would have cleaned myself up had I known you were coming. ’

‘You could climb out of a trash can and I’d still want you in my lap.’ Leo laughed, a little colour coming back into his cheeks.

‘I can’t believe you’re here.’ My whole life I’d never seen him leave the house.

‘Neither can I.’

‘How did you manage to leave?’ I pressed my lips to his neck as I questioned him, tasting the slight saltiness on his lips.

‘You needed me.’

He pinned me to the floor, taking his time to kiss and lick over the expanse of my neck and collar bone, drawing sweet gasps from me.

‘How do we make this work?’ I asked, twisting my fingers into his hair relishing in every stroke of his tongue.

‘By not caring what anyone else thinks. By realising that our parents meeting first shouldn’t rob of us a love worth having.’

I moaned as he pressed up between my thighs, sliding a hand up my loose t-shirt and cupping a breast.

‘What if it doesn’t work?’ I asked. ‘We could lose everything.’

‘Estella, I’ve obsessed over you for years from afar, do you think it will be any different up close. I will spend every day worshipping the ground you walk upon. I will do whatever it takes to see you smile every day, and I’ll work to fulfil every fantasy you have in the depth of night.’

He pinched my nipple, making me squirm .

‘I’ll give you a world where you are my sun, and I orbit around you. Wherever you go, I will find a way to follow. Whether that’s here in the city, or anywhere else you desire.’

‘What about the things you want?’ I whimpered, grinding myself against the hardness in his pants.

‘There’s only you, love.’