Perfectly Too Far (21 page)

Her
thoughts became ash as he rolled her over him, still buried in her
slit. His kiss was more needy than even her own had been. “Judith...
little Sparrow... I love you, too. I never thought I would say those
words, but I mean them.”

He
means them.
Radiant, she said no
more, only wanting to taste his mouth. The mouth that had been both
cruel and kind, the mouth that had banished her...

The
mouth that had brought her back.

And
now, I'm his. Truly his.

She
desired nothing more.

Judith
set the last of her things into the cardboard box, hoisting it in her
arms tightly. Benedict had told her he'd send people to help her
move, but she'd insisted she could do it herself.
I own so little,
it only took me a few hours.

Kicking
the squeaky door aside, she carried the container down her steps. She
was planning to bring it to the front, for when Corbin arrived, until
something caught her eye. Pausing, Judith turned, noticing the flag
for her mail box was up.
I thought I changed my address already?

Setting
down the square burden, she dug out her keys. When she opened the
tiny metal door, a collection of paper spun to the ground. Groaning,
Judith bent to gather it up, shaking her head in irritation.
I
won't have to deal with that anymore at Benedict's place, I bet.
Thinking about the fact he'd asked her to move in made her smile.

Straightening
out the pile of envelopes, one of them caught her eye. It was crisp,
official looking, and she recognized the name on it instantly.

Dropping
everything, not caring where it fluttered, Judith tore the envelope
open. With shaking fingers, she unfolded the paper, reading the
familiar words.

Only,
that time, what was written at the very bottom was not what she'd
seen weeks ago.

Benedict
had been right. His letter would do the trick.

She'd
been accepted to Sun Arts College.

****

The
scent of paint was strong in her nose, mind bent to her work. She
didn't hear him, didn't sense him, until he wrapped his arms around
her waist from behind. Warm lips touched Judith's neck, his chuckle
muffling her pleased gasp.

“
Benedict,”
she laughed, placing her paintbrush on the pallet. “You
surprised me.”

“
Don't
I always?” he mused, spinning the girl so he could taste her
lips. Falling into his touch, her brain melted like candy in the sun.
Releasing Judith, he stepped back so she could see his amused smirk.
“That painting is coming along nicely,” he said.

Blinking,
she smiled up at the wall. It was one of the many stretches of white
in his home—her home—that she'd been eager to get to work
on. “You like it?”

“
I
do, very much.” Reaching out, he pulled her against him so they
could stand and view the mural in comfortable silence. “What
does it mean, what's its story about?”

Judith's
cheeks went pink, but she gazed over the scene wistfully. It was
almost entirely black, curling like smoke that consumed everything.
There, in the very center, was a red sparrow flying proudly. It would
have been easy to assume the darkness was chasing the bird, harming
it, but Judith knew better.

“
It's
a story about love, and not fighting it when it comes calling,”
she said pensively.

Benedict
nuzzled her cheek, stroking her throat until she whimpered. “So,
it's a story about us.”

“
Yes,”
she agreed, leaning into his agile hands. “It's a story about
us.”

The
End