When the bed is finally right she climbs in, preening with maternal pride and offering me a satisfied smile that makes me want to kiss her so badly it hurts. “Am I allowed in there with you?” I ask, beaming down at her.
Ella frowns for a moment, obviously contemplating this. She narrows her eyes, “As long as you don’t mess it up.”
Laughing, I kick off my shoes and move onto the bed, careful not to dislodge any of her carefully placed pillows. Right as I settle beside her, I accidentally knock one of the overstuffed poufs out of position, and a kittenish growl rises in her chest. That’s when I snatch her up, replacing the offended cushion as I pull her small body onto mine.
For a while I simply kiss Ella, elated that I’m finally able to be with her so freely. Every other time we’ve gott
