Page 95 - It Ends with Us

He sha kes hi s hea d as he wres tles out of hi s jacket , so I skip the

kitchen and hea d for the bed room. He follows me, and then thro ws
hi s jacket over the back of the cha ir. He kicks off hi s sho es and pushes
them agains t the wall.
He’s wear ing scrubs.
“You look ex ha usted ,” I say.
He smiles and puts hi s ha nd s on my hi ps. “I am. I just assisted in an

ei ght een- ho ur surger y.” He bend s down and kisses the hea rt tattoo on
my collarbone.
No wonde r he ’s exhau sted. “How is tha t ev en possible?” I say.
“Eight een ho urs?”
He no ds and then walks me to the side of the bed where he pulls
me down nex t to hi m. We adjust oursel ves unt il we’re facing ea ch
other, sha ring a pillow. “Yea h, but it was amazing . Ground brea king .

They ’ll write about it in med ical journa ls, and I got to be there, so I’m
no t complaini ng . I’m just rea lly tired .”
I lea n in and give hi m a pec k on the mouth. He bring s hi s ha nd to
the side of my hea d and pulls back. “I kno w you’re probably rea dy to
ha ve hot , swea ty sex , but I don’t ha ve the energ y toni ght . I’m sorr y.
But I’ve missed you and for some rea son I sleep bet ter when I sleep

nex t to you. Is it okay tha t I’m here?”
I smile. “It’s more tha n okay.”
He lea ns in and kisses my forehea d. He grabs my ha nd and then
ho lds it bet ween us on the pillow. His ey es close, but I keep mine
open and stare at hi m. He ha s the type of face tha t peo ple shy away
from, bec ause you could get lost in it. And to thi nk , I get to look at
thi s face all the time. I don’t ha ve to be modes t and look away,

bec ause he’s mine.
May be.
Thi s is a trial run. I ha ve to rem em ber tha t.
After a minu te, he rel ea ses my ha nd and beg ins to flex hi s fing ers . I
look down at hi s ha nd and wond er wha t tha t must be like . . . to ha ve
to stand for so long and use your fine motor skills for ei ghteen ho urs

straight . I can’t thi nk of much el se tha t would match tha t lev el of
ex ha ustion.
I slide out of the bed and ret riev e some lotion out of my bathro om.
I go back to the bed and sit cross-leg ged nex t to hi m. I squirt some