Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(102)
“God, Alex…” he cried and began to move, to give me everything he had, in body and soul, until there was nothing left to give. The pleasure came, not on any howling crescendo, but with swells, one after the other, that rolled and crashed until finally receding to leave us to lying like castaways who’d found dry land, gasping for air and depleted completely.
After, he held me, my back to his chest, his arm draped over me, our fingers entwined. I could feel the soft warmth of his breath on my neck and feel the pounding of his heart subside to a steady rhythm.
He slept quickly and heavily, content and at peace, while I remained awake, watching as dawn infiltrated our perfect sanctuary, bit by bit, with its hard yellow light. I squeezed my eyes shut and nestled more tightly against him, to shut out the oncoming day.
#
The clock on the nightstand read seven-fifteen when I extricated myself from Cory’s arms. It was like leaving a warm, safe place to venture out into the cold. More than anything I wanted to stay there, with him, and the thought whispered that I could if I was just willing to take a sledgehammer to my old life in order to forge a new. I shivered, not knowing if I had the courage, not wanting to find out what would happen if I did.
I have time, I thought. A few more days yet. Please, just let me have a few more days.
That was selfish, I knew. Selfish and cowardly, but the future that had always been so crystal clear to me was now a murky haze, and I was scared beyond all reason to see what lay beyond.
I dressed quickly while Cory still slept. He lay on his stomach, his face half-buried in a pillow. My pillow on my bed. He’d broken his vow.
“He stayed,” I murmured, watching the morning light fall over the muscles of his back, bathing his tanned skin in golden hues. The colors in his tattoos were ablaze and I longed to run my hands along that warm, smooth skin, to plant kisses between his shoulder blades, until he woke. But the inspector from CPS was due to arrive in forty-five minutes. Reluctantly, I went out, leaving him to sleep a few more minutes while I made coffee and breakfast.
I was at the stove, doing a second take on eggs and sausage with what I hadn’t cooked for his birthday, when I felt strong arms slip around my waist. Cory nuzzled my neck, nipped my skin playfully, then just held me. I closed my eyes and leaned into him. Yes, this. I could have this every morning, if only…
“Cooking? Again?” Cory murmured in my ear. “Whose birthday is it today?”
I smiled. “It’s just leftovers. But the inspector is coming and you’re going to pass with flying colors. That’s a special occasion in my book.”
He planted a warm kiss under my ear and released me to get some orange juice from the fridge. “Speaking of which, what have you got going on today? I know you have your lunch with your friends but after? You want to get dinner later? To celebrate?”
I hissed a curse as the sausage spit at me again. I was preoccupied with the impending grease fire before me, not paying attention, not being careful. I cursed again and shut off the burner. “Yes, I have lunch with the Posse at noon, and then I’m meeting my mother for a dress fitting, but after that I’m free.”
The small kitchen suddenly felt ten degrees colder. There was no movement or sound from behind me and I closed my eyes for a moment, one moment, and then it all came crashing down.
I slowly set the sausage pan down with shaking hands and turned.
Cory leaned his back against the granite countertop, his hands to either side, gripping the edge in white-knuckled apprehension. The look on his face would have been heart breaking if not for the stony coldness in his eyes.
“A dress fitting,” he said, his tone flat. “For your wedding.”
My mouth moved but no sound came out. I couldn’t answer. Any answer would either shatter his heart or wreck my carefully constructed world. I felt caught in a trap of my own making, helpless to break free.
“Well?” he snapped, making me jump. “Speak!”
“I…I…”
“Suddenly you can’t talk,” Cory said with bitter sarcasm. “So don’t. I’ll make it easy on you. Just answer me one question. One question, yes or no.” He crossed his arms over his chest, as if bracing himself. “Are you going to go?”
“Cory—”
“Yes or no!”
I flinched and he immediately looked remorseful. But the flinty look in his eye somehow hardened further, until I was petrified that the inherent sweetness in him was forever altered, like a vein of water freezing between the stones of a great mountain, creating cracks, breaking it apart.
“Okay,” he said. “Good to know.” He strode to the living room and I followed.
“Cory, wait…”
“I’m not your f*cking houseboy,” he muttered, throwing his duffel on the couch. “I’m done.”
“You’re leaving?” I watched, aghast, as he threw his clothes into the bag. “What about the inspection? They’ll be here in half an hour!”
“Fuck it all,” Cory said without ceasing his task.
“Now, wait. Listen to me, please.” I strove for calm, even as my heart galloped in my chest. “I know you think that last night meant that things might be different between us now—”
I snapped my mouth shut when he rounded on me, anger ablaze in his eyes. I’d never seen him so furious.