“Can I go now?” Her head ached, her body ached, her heart ached.
“We’ll get your discharge papers. There is someone waiting to see you.”
“Is it a superhot French guy in Hessian boots?”
“Um, no. This man is a priest. But if you don’t—”
“Let him in. Right now. Please. And you can go.”
“Of course.” Lisa gave her a kind, sympathetic look that Eleanor wanted to rip off her face.
She left the room and seconds later Søren pushed open the door. Before she could even speak Søren had her wrapped in his arms.
He wore his collar and clerics and she’d never in her life been so grateful to be in love with a priest. The clergy were more welcome in a hospital than any other place on earth.
She rejoiced in his arms around her, rejoiced in his chest that she rested her head against, rejoiced in that scent of him, clean as a midnight in winter.
“You’re back early,” she whispered through tears.
“I wanted to surprise you.”
“Any reason?”
“I never need a reason to come back to you.”
She looked up at him.
“I guess I ruined the surprise.”
He brushed tears off her face.
“Never, Little One. Never.”
He kissed her forehead, and she clung to him even tighter.
“I was at Kingsley’s when the hospital called. They said you had alcohol poisoning.”
She winced at the abject concern in his voice. Judgment, anger … that she expected. The kindness hurt worse than a beating would have.
“I got stupid drunk last night for stupid reasons and it led to stupid behavior.”
“If it helps, the last time Kingsley and I drank together we both ended up on the roof of the rectory. For the life of me I can’t remember how we got down again.”
Eleanor laughed and winced simultaneously.
“Mine’s a little worse. I made out with some guy I barely know. He was as drunk as me.”
“As I.”
“Right. I passed out while we were making out. I woke up puking. A friend of mine called the hospital. They didn’t even have to pump my stomach I’d puked so much.”
“Are you certain nothing else happened?” He kept his voice and tone neutral. “You can tell me anything, Eleanor.”
Eleanor smiled. Søren would make a much better rape crisis center counselor than what’s-her-name.
“Completely. Other than me being an idiot.”
“You are not an idiot, young lady, and I never want to hear you say anything like that ever again.”
“I am. Hear me out. I did something while you were gone. I met this guy in my American lit class. He … I don’t know. He gave me a shark. And then he wanted to have lunch with me, and it was just lunch. Then lunch was dinner and dinner was a walk in the snow and then we kissed and kissed some more. And I … I liked him so much.” Her stomach clenched in grief. “It was only six days we were together so I don’t even know why I’m so upset about it. We didn’t even have sex. I broke up with him last night. That’s why I got shit-faced.”
She looked up at Søren, expecting to see anger on his face. Instead he merely smiled as if he’d been expecting this all along. Of course he had been.
“Six days? God created the universe in six days. It might have been a short relationship, but that doesn’t mean you can’t mourn its loss.”
“I’m done mourning,” she said, reaching up and touching his face. She loved his skin, the slight hint of stubble on his chin that seemed so masculine and erotic to her.
“Are you making me wait so long for you so this would happen? I mean, so I would find someone else and fall for him?”
Søren exhaled heavily before answering.
“Yes.”
“Why?” she asked although she thought she knew the answer already.
“Because, Little One, our choices mean nothing until we’re given more than one of them.”
“I choose you. It took me a few days, but I did choose you.”
“I knew you would. But you didn’t know if you would choose me. Adam and Eve could have remained in paradise for eternity had there been no apple to tempt them. And their obedience would have been meaningless because obedience would have been the only choice.”
“You knew I would pick you.”
“I did.”
“You’re an arrogant bastard, aren’t you?”
“I know my strengths. You …” He cupped her chin. “You are one of my strengths, my greatest strength.”
“I won’t let you down again.”
“You never have. Now, shall we go before someone asks me for last rites?”