Krista Ritchie

“Kiss the sky with me,” Connor whispers, a beautiful smile pulling his lips, “and don’t ever come down.”

He licks his bottom lip and leans closer to whisper, “In this moment, I’m yours.”

He smiles, in between each kiss, knowing the effect he has on me. His lips press to my jaw…

“Nola needs to think I feed you, Lil. You’re looking a bit skeletal. When you breathe, I think I can see your ribs.”

Sometimes I picture the future. Loren Hale working for his father’s Fortune 500 company, dressed in a tight fitting suit that chokes at the collar. He’s sad. I never see him smile

He pats his lap. “Come here.” His amber eyes swim with mischievousness.

“I’m not dressed,”

Rose frightens children, pets, and even grown males with her icy eyes and chilling glares.

Rose turns her vulture eyes on Lo, who wipes his hands on a dish rag and tosses it aside. “What about you? Did you lose your phone too?”

“No. I just don’t like talking to you.”

I tighten my robe, wondering if she can tell how my body feels by looking. Lo sure as hell can.

“No, Lil,” he says, “I won’t get in the way of what you want.”