Becoming Calder (A Sign of Love Novel)(107)

We both straightened up. "Sorry, sorry," I said, containing myself. "Kristi, to us, this is a palace, I swear. You have no idea."
Kristi grinned and laughed, too, rolling her eyes. "Okay, then, you're going to be really excited about this. Calder and Eden, you have a whole room to yourselves right through there. Xander, you get the couch."
"Story of my life," Xander said, throwing our stuff down on the large brown piece of furniture. I chuckled and pushed him slightly, which he took good-naturedly.
"So guys, I know it's still early," Kristi said, "but I'm going to turn in because I have class really early and tomorrow is my last day of work at the ranger station." She yawned. "But help yourselves to anything in my kitchen and we'll talk more tomorrow about your plan. The thing you're all going to need is IDs. But, we'll discuss that. Also, Xander, leave the rest of the jewelry on the coffee table there. I'll grab it in the morning and stop at a jewelry store on my way home from work."
I nodded. "Hey, thanks again, Kristi, for everything." I reached out to shake her hand, not knowing exactly what to do. She smiled and shook my hand, blushing slightly.
She smiled at Xander and Eden who thanked her, too, and we all said goodnight.
I took Eden by the hand and pulled her into the room that Kristi had pointed us to. There was nothing except a mattress sitting on a metal frame, made up with sheets and a blanket folded up at the end of the bed.
I took Eden's face in my hands and kissed her long and deep. I couldn't believe we were in a room together, and could simply enjoy each other so freely. The feeling was incredible.
"Your bed is my bed now," she whispered.
"Forever. From this day forward, we'll never sleep apart again."
There was peacefulness in Eden's smile. I loved seeing her smile like that. As I watched her, she covered her mouth to hide a yawn. "Sorry, I have no idea why I'm still so tired."
"Because you went through a really scary experience and then walked twenty miles practically barefoot." I raised one brow. "Let's get a really good night's sleep and then we'll get up early and figure things out."
Eden nodded, biting her lip. "Do you really think we should leave here right away?"
I considered it for a second, taking my bottom lip under my teeth. "Yeah, I think so."
"Your parents . . ." she said, looking up at me with those trusting, deep blue eyes.
My chest tightened and I breathed out. "Someday . . . maybe we'll go back . . . for now, I have a life to build for us. That's my focus, my only focus."
Eden nodded, still frowning slightly.
I leaned forward and kissed her lips gently again. "You go use the bathroom first."
"Okay."
Eden took her turn in the bathroom, using the products we'd bought, and then I took mine, using toothpaste for the very first time in my life. It was overly sweet and tasted odd to me, but after I'd brushed, I loved the slightly minty taste in my mouth.
When I got back to the room, Eden was already under the covers, half asleep. I stripped off my clothes and joined her, taking her in my arms, feeling her warmth envelop me, her sweet smell surround me. Our hands started roaming, but we must have been overly tired because the next thing I knew, the first dim light of dawn was streaming through the edges of the shades on the windows and I heard the faint sounds of birds chirping outside the glass.

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A little later in the morning, after getting some quick instructions from Kristi as she was on her way out the door, Xander and I left the apartment to see what we could do about getting a copy of our birth certificates for ID purposes, and to find out about bus tickets. I left Eden curled up in bed, her long hair spread over the pillow, her breathing smooth and even. We'd agreed the night before she'd stay in the safety of Kristi's apartment while Xander and I went out. It made me breathe easier. Plus, the only one being looked for was Eden. Both Xander and I were of legal age.
We stepped back through the apartment door at three thirty. "Eden?" I called, Xander shutting the door behind us.
"Right here," she called out quietly. I hadn't even seen her curled up in a chair on the opposite side of the couch, books scattered all around her.
A grin spread across my face, despite the fact I didn't have much good news to give to her. I'd missed her, and I'd allowed myself to miss her. I'd never willingly done that before, it'd never been safe to do that, but now. . . Now everything was different.
Eden started standing up, her face flushed and her eyes bright. She looked . . . feverish. I stopped. "Are you okay?"