Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

“Looks great,” he says, passing a hand over the cover and nodding. “I’m proud of you.”
Smiling, I lean my head on his shoulder. “Thank you. Open it up.”
The front inside cover has pretty paper covering it with lines and lines of my little bee character.
He flips to the next page which is just the title page with written and illustrated by Hallie Cutler
splashed across the bottom.
“That looks good,” Calvin remarks.
“You would think so,” I say primly.
He flips another page, and that’s when he hits the dedication.
I’m antsy with anticipation. It’s a simple enough dedication, but without him I never would have
accomplished any of this, so I hope he likes it.
“For Calvin. You inspire me and lift me up, even when I beg you not to.” I lean into him so I can
point at the little winky face I typed. “Yes, I see it,” he says dryly.
“Just making sure.”
His gaze moves to the next line and he reads, “Thank you.”
He doesn’t say anything else right away, so my nerves creep up on me. “I, um… I…”
Then he turns, cradles my skull in the palm of his hand, and kisses me.
Relief flutters through me. I slide my arm around him and let him ease me back on the bed. He
climbs on top of me, braces his weight on his hands and knees, then looks down at me, his dark eyes
glittering with affection. “You’re welcome.”
“I can’t even imagine what my life would have looked like without you anymore,” I tell him
honestly. “I know there was a time before you, but…”
He smirks. “It’s not worth remembering.”
I sigh heavily. “So arrogant.”
He smiles and leans down to kiss me. “So mine.”
“Mm, I like the sound of that,” I murmur against his lips.
“You better.”
I sigh at him again, but it gets lost as he buries his face in my neck and kisses me until everything
tingles.
Finally, when my nerves can’t take much more of his teasing, he stands and offers me his hand.
I take it.
“Ready for that shower now, little dove?”