abs while my arm behind her cupped her ass. She still had a light sheen of sweat along her temple that I brushed away. Mine was probably worse. We needed a shower, but my muscles ached from our efforts and I was exhausted after the long, but perfect day.
“Tell me about your mom.”
The request came out of nowhere. I pulled back, surprised.
“What?” I’d promised to tell her everything. No secrets. Only honesty from here on out. But the last thing I’d expected to talk about after we just made love was my mom. Lilly’s fingertip drew slow, calming circles over my stomach, like she knew I needed the calm of her touch when she asked.
She tilted her head up and kissed my chin. “Your mom. Tell me about her. You never talk about her.” Her hand drifted up to my chest where she dragged a finger around my nipple.
Her touch was a dangerous ember, quick to turn to a wildfire in any condition. Even when she made me think of my mom.
I settled my free hand over hers, stopping her before she distracted me.
She was right, though. She’d spent so much time giving herself to me, and I hadn’t done the same. But now with all the secrets between us revealed, we could truly begin. And I’d promised to give that to her. Despite the lead weight settling in my stomach, I gave her what she needed. What she deserved.
“She was beautiful,” I said, and her hand beneath mine flipped over and grabbed hold of me.
“She was kind and quiet. Her laughs were whispers and I never heard her raise her voice. But she had this gentle strength that held our family together, that changed hearts of kids who came to us damaged and untrusting.”
“How did that start? Why did they start fostering kids?”
My chest warmed beneath her touch, from the inside of my bones. “My mom’s delivery with me wasn’t easy… she struggled and couldn’t hold me for several days. After, when they wanted more kids, my dad refused for fear of what it did to her. I didn’t learn until I was older, when I asked these questions and it messed with my head.”
I shoved a hand through my hair and scraped it over my scruff. It’d been years since I talked of this.
“Why?”
“Because I almost killed my mom.”
“Hudson—”
“I know.” I squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. “I know I didn’t, but I also did, you know? And when I asked, when I was eight or so, that was a lot to bear. But anyway, they wanted more children after Melissa and me, and they debated… adoption or fostering, or possible fostering that would lead to adoption. I think that’s why they chose fostering. They could help kids and love them but could possibly adopt down the road.”
“But they didn’t?”
“None except for Brandon. Most kids… most went back to their homes or to homes where they were adopted.”
“That must have been hard, to always say goodbye to people.”
She’d hit the nail on the head. I didn’t admit it often. “Sometimes, yeah. Knowing they were going back to homes that weren’t safe. That was hard.”
I cleared my throat and squeezed her chest against my side. “I’m wiped, sweetheart. Can we pick this up tomorrow?”
She kissed my chest and yawned. “Sure, Hudson.”
Moments later, she was asleep, her breaths settling and deepening. It was too much longer when my own eyes closed, blocking out memories that usually brought me darkness.
But that night was different.
I slept in peace, even after thinking of my mom.
And I slept well, because the woman I loved decided to give me another chance.
It was the middle of the night, the sky still pitch black when she reached for me, woke me with hands at my chest and her lips following. I gave her everything she silently asked for, unable to deny her anything.
And in the morning, with the sky barely peeking above the horizon, it was me who woke first, craving her once more.
I woke her with my fingers and mouth and pleasure and when I was done, fulfilling my earlier promise of reduce her to nothing but sounds and screams, she returned the favor, loving me with her heart and her body, no spoken words necessary.
She didn’t need to say the words I spoke to her last night.
I felt them in every touch and kiss and in her forgiveness alone.
What changed your mind? I’d asked last night.
You did. She’d spoken with utter conviction and peace.