I woke to thunder. Not the storm kind that rattles windows and splits skies, but the steady, relentless rumble of Theo's heart beneath my cheek. It crashed against my eardrums like waves breaking on rocks, each beat so distinct I could almost taste the copper and salt of his blood pushing through chambers and valves. His chest rose and fell beneath me, the rush of air through his lungs a windstorm in my ears. I'd never heard anything so beautifully invasive in my life.
"Your heart is really loud," I grumbled, pressing my palm against his warm skin. "Your breathing is really loud. Why are you so loud?"
The vibration of his chuckle resonated through my bones before I even registered the sound. His fingers traced lazy patterns on my bare shoulder, each touch sending shivers across nerve end
