Her Collateral Bride: A Lesbian Age Gap Romance

woman, and she couldn’t get that confused. She needed to

think past the pleasure, the unexpected and the expected. But

later.

Right now, she just wanted to nuzzle against Haley’s sleepy

warmth and drown in the sweet sensation of having her

pressed up against her, her arms wrapped around her neck, her

breaths slower and slower, gentle and further apart.

Peace. That’s what had been missing in her life. Haley had

been missing in her life.

Claire lifted a shaking hand and slowly moved a few damp

strands of hair away from Haley’s cheek before she kissed her

there. She didn’t even stir. She was out and she was out deep,

sleeping soundly, so trusting. Claire had never felt so mended

or so broken.

She moved away gently, taking care not to wake Haley. She

slowly covered her with the quilt and then leaned her back

against the headboard and smiled down at the angel in her bed.

It couldn’t last. It wouldn’t last. But she just wanted a few

more minutes like this, private moments where she felt

perfectly broken and reassembled and the world was just right.

Chapter 17

Claire

What she was doing was dangerous. Watching Haley sleep

was like a punch to the gut. She couldn’t just give her up. That

was her first red flag. There were so many others. The way

that Claire was drawn to Haley like they were in orbit together,

making a galaxy by circling around each other. It wasn’t just

her beauty, though that was what slayed her first. Haley was

the entire picture, the real deal, and of course Claire would

have to meet her now, when she couldn’t have her.