Our bodies are still, unmoving.
I work up the courage to move his hand over my right scar, a tear drops on his chest from my eyes, and he pulls his hand from mine.
“Please don’t cry, I don’t have to touch you.”
“I want you to. Please touch me.”
This time he touches my scarred flesh on his own. He starts on my left side taking his time. I watch his eyes as he looks at me there for the first time. All I see is love. His fingertips move to my right side, and then he leans in and crashes his lips on mine.
I move up and down his shaft as he kisses me. He kisses me in the same trail I took his fingertips only moments ago. Down my neck, past my collar bone. He hesitates when he gets to my scar on my left chest. I nod and wait.
His lips meet my scar and even though I don’t really have any feeling in the scar itself, I feel worthy of his touch. I hate that I let myself be inside my head for so long.
He bathes my body in his touch and kisses me like he can’t get enough. I let him love me. I let him back in. I let him take what is his.
We are in the kitchen eating the dinner I made. I’m wrapped in the blanket from the bed – naked underneath, and he’s wearing only his boxer briefs.
He’s on his second bowl, but I can’t even finish my first. I don’t know what I did wrong, but this soup tastes horrible.
“You don’t have to keep eating it. I know it tastes bad.”
“This is the best white chicken chili I’ve ever had.” He smiles with his spoon in his hand.
“You’ve never had white chicken chili before then.”
He laughs. “No, I have not.”
He’s in the bathroom brushing his teeth when I slip in on the left side of his bed. I didn’t bother getting dressed. I’d say he wants to keep me up all night if I’ll let him.
He tilts his head to the side as he gets in on the right side of the bed.
I say, “I know that look.”
“What?”
I pat the cover on top of me. “This is my side of the bed now. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”
He snuggles into my side and says, “I’m lucky you’re even waiting in the bed for me.”
ACKNOWLEMENTS
Thank you to all of you out there that inspire me every day to write something new.
Thank you, readers, for your continued support. I am amazed that there are a group of you out there already waiting for the next one.
Thank you, Lisa, for editing the books I’ve written so far.
Thank you, Sheina, for being so excited to proofread and being a part of my process.
Thank you to my girls who read the jumbled-up mess as I’m writing it. Thank you Thristian, Terra, Tasha, Amanda, Mandi, Nora, Connie, and Nikki. You know I couldn’t do it without you guys.
Thank you to the ones of you who preorder and buy my books as soon as you can. It’s the coolest thing ever to know you guys exist!
Thank you, Michael, for telling me I’m too hard on myself every time I tell you what I’m writing is garbage and that I should just scrap it.
Please leave a review on amazon.com or goodreads.com, if you have the time as it will be much appreciated.
, T.M. Shivener
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T.M. Shivener grew up on the Ohio River where she spent the better part of her younger years wishing she was someone else. During her adolescence she devoured every young adult book the public library had to offer. She resides on the Ohio River with her family.
For more on what’s next from T.M. Shivener visit,
www.tmshivener.com
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Books By This Author
Ginger Devil
ALL MEN ARE THE DEVIL, or at least that’s what Callie Keating believes.
She is in her mid twenties living life to its fullest.
Not really.
She works too much, trying to pay off the large amount of student loan debt she accrued during Nursing School.
She makes a vow to be celibate after waking up from yet another one night stand.
Jensen Stone, a tall and dreamy ginger, lands himself in her small town. Working under a short term contract at the local power plant, he can’t wait to leave.
Thirty, Flirty, & Dumb
Vivian recently turned thirty. Her boyfriend of the last ten years left her for another woman, a much younger woman. She gave him the best years of her life and now she wants them back. The dating scene is different now than it was ten years ago, and she resorts to online dating apps.
One night she asks a stranger at the bar to walk her home. She sees him there most weekends and he lives just across the hall from her. He certainly seems harmless compared to her most recent date.
Hutch finds himself alone and drunk most nights. He might have a drinking problem, but there isn’t anyone to stop him. He can’t seem to get over the love of his life, even though she sure is over him. The bar down the street is where he spends all of his free time.
He notices her, she comes in almost every Saturday night, but never with the same guy. She could do better. One night she asks him to walk her home.
Why It's Called a Goodbye Page 24