The air in the kitchen was thick with a tension that had been simmering for twelve years, a heavy, electric heat that made the simple act of breathing feel significant. Ellie didn't wait for a second invitation.
"Come on... I'm going to show a nest that he didn't use as a love nest, but I do hope you can change it into a love nest." Ellie winked at him.
Her fingers, trembling slightly but filled with a newfound resolve, slid into Mike's hand. She didn't lead him with the hesitant grace of a girl in love, but she led him with the hunger of a woman who had finally decided to stop waiting for permission.
"You really are looking forward to this, huh?" Mike grinned. "Those years probably hurt a lot."
"Oh, you don't know about it, Mikey."
