Chapter 154

Beau held on all the tighter, letting his head rest on Jeanne-Marie’s broad back. “Shhh….” Beau whispered, moving in close enough so that their two bodies became one. He gently rubbed his hands over Jeanne-Marie’s firm chest and flat stomach.

Jeanne-Marie switched off the water, letting a bowl clatter to the sink. Slowly, he allowed himself to relax in Beau’s embrace. “I dare not turn around,” he whispered.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want this moment to end.” Jeanne-Marie let out a long, quivering breath, like a sigh. “It’s been so long since anyone has touched me.”

Beau hugged him tighter. “You can turn around.”

“No. No.”

Beau understood. He let go of Jeanne-Marie for long enough to cross to the opposite wall, where the light switch was. He turned off the light and the room was plunged into darkness, lit dimly by a silvery opalescence from the moon, which had risen as they ate.