Recover: Book 2 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

26: What If

I barely got any sleep that night, knowing I had only one week left with her. I closed my eyes for almost an hour before the light streaming in at 5am pulled me back awake. Begrudgingly, I weaselled out of Ollie's grip, leaving her to sleep some more as I padded down the hallway to the shower.

Stripping off my clothes and alone with my thoughts, I stood under the warm stream of water, hoping that I could steam away all the racing thoughts.

But they just continued faster and more intensely.

Until a sob escaped from me.

Head pressed against the shower wall, I tried to stifle my cries as my salty tears mixed with the water and my circling thoughts drowned me in worry. I was so lost in my mind that I jumped when her warm arms suddenly encircled me.

Touch full of concern, she pulled me against her body, her breast pressing against my back.

"I didn't mean to wake you," I croaked.

"It's okay," she said, words muffled as her head pressed tightly against my back. "Why are you in here alone and crying?"

"I always shower alone," I responded, trying to tease her in the hopes she'd drop the second part.

But as worry further permeated from her touch, I heaved a sigh and turned in her arms. "I'm just—" but the words got caught in my mouth as I let my gaze trail over her body. I had seen her naked breasts before, but I had never seen the bottom half of her fully unclothed.

Looking back at her face, she was smirking at me, knowingly. "Like what you see?" she coyly asked.

"I love it," I whispered. "I love you. You're so beautiful." And with that, I desperately pressed my lips to hers, needing more of her.

She met my mouth with just as much fervour, tongue demanding entry almost instantly as she backed me up against the shower wall. "Lukas," she moaned as she pulled away to catch her breath, hands trailing down my torso, on their way to touch me.

In an instant, I came back to my senses, pushing her slightly away.

Her face fell in response, dejected. "Make love to me," she whispered.

But the stinging sensation returned, all lust dropped from my body as I gazed into her green eyes.

What was the point in being close anymore? Another day, another memory to miss? I shook my head at her.

"Please," she then whispered.

"Don't," I choked. Because giving into her wishes was always so easy. "Don't give me more to miss."

"It's just more to remember me by... until we are together again."

But I shook my head again as my knees began to cave. Her hands stayed steady on me as I fell to the ground of the shower floor. Olivia was shortly behind me, sitting next to me, pulling me into her arms. "It's going to be okay."

"How can it be when I can't turn to you anymore?" I sobbed into her.

"You wouldn't have been able to anyway if I went to Australia."

"I know. But I hate this. I don't want to be apart."

She went quiet, her touch emanating a cacophony of emotions I couldn't pick, but I sensed she was troubled nonetheless.

"What's wrong?" I asked, pulling back to look at her.

"Do you regret bonding with me?" she whispered, emerald eyes pooling with tears.

"What?" I gasped, grabbing her face between my hands. "How could you ever think that?"

"I talked you into it. And now you have to miss it all because—"