[Ryder]
I woke to the sight of her, nestled against me. It had been such a long time since we’d woken up in each other’s arms—one week was surely a long time. She was still sound asleep, her raven hair splayed over the pillow, her sugary scent wrapping around me, teasing my senses as if urging me to lick her or spread my scent all over her—though it was already there.
I swallowed hard, ashamed of the memory of my weakness last night. I'd been cruel to her, harsh even, only to break down moments later like a man-child, like I was the victim. Yet she had forgiven me so easily, with a kindness that made me uneasy. I couldn't understand her—her softness, her acceptance of me despite knowing so little about my past.
Things I couldn't understand often made me anxious, and Celeste was one of t
