Page 35 of Uprooted

Elowen

I keep waiting for the embarrassment to fade.

I’ve tried to talk myself down from the horrifying memory of me literally climbing Aro like a tree, straddling him, and using him like my own personal sex toy.

I’ll be haunted for the rest of my life.

I’ll never be able to look him in the eye again.

I’ll never be able to look myself in the eye again.

It wouldn’t be that hard to avoid mirrors the rest of my life.

“I thought I might find you here,” Aro says as he walks in the greenhouse like I conjured him out of thin air. I don’t look up, not ready to deal with the consequences of my actions last night.

“I love it in here.” I’ve been working here all day, hoping that being around the cute plants would help me clear my head.

What were tiny green sprouts a few weeks ago have grown into beautiful purple and yellow blossoms. Their wispy petals swirl around like a choreographed ballet.

Soon they will be tucking up their roots into the bottom of the petals and moving towards their ideal growing location.

The structured flower beds have already been removed and the dirt has slid down into mounds covered with the beautiful blossoms.

One flower has already begun uprooting itself, well before the others. I lay my hand down on the dirt next to it. The petals slowly shift and roll onto my outstretched palm. I take a deep breath and say what needs to be said.

“I am so sorry I took advantage of you last night. I honestly don’t know what came over me. I took things too far,” I tell him.

“Wait, what? I’m confused.”

“My awkward attempt at seduction… I am a complete idiot. ”

“Hold on, let me make something abundantly clear. Last night was the hottest thing I have ever seen in my life. I only refused you because you weren’t in your right mind.

And I would have never forgiven myself if that was the first time we were together.

Trust me, it took every ounce of self control I had.

” He lifts my face up so I can’t avoid his gaze.

“I would be more than happy to revisit it another time, when you aren’t high off your ass. If that’s what you want,” he says, searching my face for an answer.

“This is going to blow up in our faces. The closer we get, the harder it’s going to be to say goodbye.”

“We can worry about all of that later. I will take anything you’ll give me. So…” he says with a broad smile, “what do you think we did last night? And did I live up to expectations?” The glint in his eyes is back.

“What makes you think there were expectations?”

“Elowen, you’ve been eye-fucking me since the first day we met. I know you’ve been wondering what it’ll be like.”

“I cannot believe you just said that.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment.

“We’re getting it all out in the open now.”

“Full transparency? What happened last night is between me and the lumen'entem. But just to be clear, we didn’t have sex last night?” I ask and look back down to the blossom rolling over my palm and fingers. Holding my breath for his answer.

“We slept fully clothed. You drooled a little on me. That’s it,” he says and puts his hand next to mine, the flower moving over to his palm. “Look—this little guy’s confused. Doesn’t know if it’s day or night,” Aro says sweetly, watching the flower continue to roll around.

“What did you say?” I ask. Suddenly every synapse in my brain starts firing off.

“I said this little guy doesn’t know if it’s day or night,” he repeats.