FORTY FOUR - LEXIE

LEXIE After Ryder dropped Samantha off at the airport around noon on Monday, I made my way to his penthouse. Walking inside felt strangely familiar, almost like slipping back into a second skin. Everything looked the same, but my absence made it feel just slightly off-kilter. As I wandered from room to room, my fingers brushed the plants he'd been so proud of, their leaves looking as if they'd known me for years. Stepping into his bedroom, a jolt of excitement shot through me. Soon, I thought. Soon. When he finally arrived, I couldn’t hold myself back. I ran straight into his arms. He caught me easily, lifting me off the ground, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms locking around his neck. It felt so good to be pressed against him, like a release, but it wasn’t just the physical connection—it was everything. I had missed him. Later, after we'd stripped off our clothes and were tangled in his sheets, I murmured, "I missed you." He kissed my shoulder, his voice warm. "I missed