Chapter 10: One Thing That's Mine

I couldn't sleep, so I went out to the front room at midnight.

Joel was awake too. He sat on the couch with his boots off and his elbows on his knees.

He looked up when I came out, and the whole room changed.

"Go back to bed," he said. "You have to be sharp tomorrow."

"I can't."

"Try."

"In nine hours a judge decides whether I get to put my daughter to bed."

"You will."

"You don't know that."

He didn't answer, because he didn't.

I crossed the room and stood in front of him in Britt's old T-shirt and nothing else.

He looked at my bare legs and then at the floor, and I watched his jaw go tight.

"Leah."

"I made a rule."

"You did."

"I'm breaking it."

"You said nothing until you sign."

"I said a lot of things." My voice shook.

"Tomorrow they might take her from me. I'm not going into that courtroom without one thing in my life that's mine."

He stood up slowly.

He was a head taller than me, and I felt the heat coming off him.

"Say it again," he said. His voice was rough.

"I want you."

"All of it."

"I want you to fuck me, Joel."

He made a low sound, and then his hands were in my hair and his mouth was on mine.

It wasn't gentle.

He kissed me hard and deep, with his tongue sliding against mine.

I grabbed his shirt in both fists and pulled.

The buttons went. I didn't care.

His chest was broad and warm and scarred along one rib.

I put my mouth on it, and he groaned and pulled the T-shirt up over my head.

Then there was nothing between us but his jeans.

He lifted me by the thighs and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

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