she reminded me about the note in Cody’s collar…”
“Cody belonged to the both of you?” Lyra asks. I immediately know what she’s thinking. Cody’s attached to her because she looks like Bella.
“When we decided not to have any children of our own, we adopted Cody. We picked her up on the seventeenth of August from a shelter for abused animals. So on the seventeenth of every month thereafter, she would leave me a note in Cody’s collar. I’m sure it all sounds silly to you, but it’s just something that stuck.”
“It’s not silly, Ryker. It’s thoughtful.”
“Yeah. Well, anyway. When I dropped her off she reminded me about an interview she had after work. She told me not to wait for her. She’d call a cab and meet me at home. A few hours later, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it and saw two police officers standing there, I just knew. Bella was dead. She was killed by a hit and run driver.” There. Now she knows one of the reasons I went ballistic.
At once, I release her hold and stride into the kitchen. After grabbing a bottle of Wild Turkey I head into my office and close the door behind me. I know that’s a lot for someone to handle and I probably shouldn’t have left her alone, but I don’t want her pity. So I’ll just sit in here, have a few drinks and then I’ll be ready to face the music…
I’m speechless as she glides across the room and right into my arms. This is where she is supposed to be. Forever. I nuzzle into her neck and drown in her heavenly scent. It’s been way too long. “I miss you so damn much, Bella.” I’m so emotional I can barely speak.
Holding my face in her hands she replies, “I miss you too, Ry. But you’re forever in my heart. So, this is goodbye. I’m setting you free.” No, I won’t let her go! I can’t. When I begin to protest, she places her fingertips against my lips. “Read the last note I left you and find comfort in knowing I’ll always remember you.” Then with a brush of her lips on mine, she’s gone...
My chest aches as I open my blood-shot eyes. It was just a dream. But when I recall what she wrote in that note, a low growl rises from deep inside of me. I don’t have to read it, when I’ve memorized the damn thing! “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” My head starts to pound as the door bursts wide open and she glides into the room. A sense of déjà vu sends chills up and down my spine. Am I still dreaming? Is it Bella or Lyra? I’m so confused.
“You’re drunk, Ryker. I’ll help you up the stairs.” Ah, it’s my precious. When I stumble over my own two feet, she’s there to catch me. “C’mon big boy, let’s get you into bed.”
Once we’ve climbed the stairs, she sets me down and proceeds to undress me. Normally, I’d be full on board with it, but not right now. I’m exhausted and maybe a little drunk, so all I want to do is sleep it off. After tucking me in, she gently combs her fingers through my unruly hair. It feels so good that my eyes begin to drift. But when I feel her lips touch mine, my eyes pop wide-open. And I watch her watching me. When she doesn’t speak, I tilt my head. “Precious?”
Lyra
Dammit! I shouldn’t have tried to kiss him. Now he’s looking at me like I was trying to take advantage of him. Well, maybe I was but apparently he’s not as drunk as I thought. When I give him my best “I’m sorry” smile and turn to walk away, he captures my wrist and pulls me down on top of him. Yeah. Now I can definitely feel how quickly he’s sobered up.
My hands are trapped between our chests. Without warning, he pulls me down until his lips lightly brush against mine. I can taste the whiskey on his breath and feel the roughness of his beard against my chin. I want more. Give me more! When I open my eyes, his intense gaze is locked on mine. “What are you doing to me, precious?”
We’re a breath apart, so I whisper, “The same damn thing you do to me,
“Cody belonged to the both of you?” Lyra asks. I immediately know what she’s thinking. Cody’s attached to her because she looks like Bella.
“When we decided not to have any children of our own, we adopted Cody. We picked her up on the seventeenth of August from a shelter for abused animals. So on the seventeenth of every month thereafter, she would leave me a note in Cody’s collar. I’m sure it all sounds silly to you, but it’s just something that stuck.”
“It’s not silly, Ryker. It’s thoughtful.”
“Yeah. Well, anyway. When I dropped her off she reminded me about an interview she had after work. She told me not to wait for her. She’d call a cab and meet me at home. A few hours later, there was a knock on my door. When I opened it and saw two police officers standing there, I just knew. Bella was dead. She was killed by a hit and run driver.” There. Now she knows one of the reasons I went ballistic.
At once, I release her hold and stride into the kitchen. After grabbing a bottle of Wild Turkey I head into my office and close the door behind me. I know that’s a lot for someone to handle and I probably shouldn’t have left her alone, but I don’t want her pity. So I’ll just sit in here, have a few drinks and then I’ll be ready to face the music…
I’m speechless as she glides across the room and right into my arms. This is where she is supposed to be. Forever. I nuzzle into her neck and drown in her heavenly scent. It’s been way too long. “I miss you so damn much, Bella.” I’m so emotional I can barely speak.
Holding my face in her hands she replies, “I miss you too, Ry. But you’re forever in my heart. So, this is goodbye. I’m setting you free.” No, I won’t let her go! I can’t. When I begin to protest, she places her fingertips against my lips. “Read the last note I left you and find comfort in knowing I’ll always remember you.” Then with a brush of her lips on mine, she’s gone...
My chest aches as I open my blood-shot eyes. It was just a dream. But when I recall what she wrote in that note, a low growl rises from deep inside of me. I don’t have to read it, when I’ve memorized the damn thing! “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” My head starts to pound as the door bursts wide open and she glides into the room. A sense of déjà vu sends chills up and down my spine. Am I still dreaming? Is it Bella or Lyra? I’m so confused.
“You’re drunk, Ryker. I’ll help you up the stairs.” Ah, it’s my precious. When I stumble over my own two feet, she’s there to catch me. “C’mon big boy, let’s get you into bed.”
Once we’ve climbed the stairs, she sets me down and proceeds to undress me. Normally, I’d be full on board with it, but not right now. I’m exhausted and maybe a little drunk, so all I want to do is sleep it off. After tucking me in, she gently combs her fingers through my unruly hair. It feels so good that my eyes begin to drift. But when I feel her lips touch mine, my eyes pop wide-open. And I watch her watching me. When she doesn’t speak, I tilt my head. “Precious?”
Lyra
Dammit! I shouldn’t have tried to kiss him. Now he’s looking at me like I was trying to take advantage of him. Well, maybe I was but apparently he’s not as drunk as I thought. When I give him my best “I’m sorry” smile and turn to walk away, he captures my wrist and pulls me down on top of him. Yeah. Now I can definitely feel how quickly he’s sobered up.
My hands are trapped between our chests. Without warning, he pulls me down until his lips lightly brush against mine. I can taste the whiskey on his breath and feel the roughness of his beard against my chin. I want more. Give me more! When I open my eyes, his intense gaze is locked on mine. “What are you doing to me, precious?”
We’re a breath apart, so I whisper, “The same damn thing you do to me,
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