She sighed and pressed a hand towel to her face. “I can’t believe the weekend is already over.”
“I know. Work tomorrow is going to suck.”
She turned to me, her face a little sad, and she moved close, laying her cheek against my bare chest as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “I’m sorry I’m a mess, Tyler.”
I held her close, slipping a hand into her hair, holding her against me. “Don’t be sorry. I get it. Feel better?”
“I do. I think I might need a lot of reassurance, and I’m afraid it’s going to push you away.”
“Don’t be afraid. I don’t scare easy, and I’m patient. Just talk to me when you have doubts so I can remind you of the truth.”
“You’re too good to be true, Tyler.” Her voice was tinged with regret.
“Nah. I’m just me, and I know you. I trust you, and if you trust me, then we’ll be fine.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment as she leaned on me in the silence, and I just held her and let her be. “Will you stay with me again tonight?” she finally asked.
There wasn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. I bent down and kissed her hair. “Of course.”
She sighed again, this time the sound full of relief, and propped her chin so she was looking up at me. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I bent down as best as I could with her in my arms, neck straining to kiss her. She rose up on her tip toes to meet my lips.
She took my hand, and I followed her to her dark bedroom, the two of us climbing into her bed in silence.
We found each other in the dark. She tucked into my chest, and I wrapped her up, both of us quiet, though I felt the weight of the silence as we lay together. Two days ago, I couldn’t have been here, in her bed. Two days ago, and for a year before that, we were separate. But with a word and a kiss, I’d been let in. I’d let her in just the same.
But I could lose it all again with another word, a word I hoped I’d never hear. How strange it was that something so small could end a thing, or begin one. That something so simple could change two people so deeply.
“I don’t want to sleep,” she said softly.
“What do you want to do?” I asked, my heart thumping.
“Kiss you more.”
I chuckled. “Kiss me more.”
So she arched her back, pressing her body against mine, and she did.
Our legs wound together, hips meeting. My hand moved down her ribs, down the bend in her waist, to her hip as her legs tightened, bringing us even closer together. I rolled until I arched over her, kissing her deep, trying to separate our hips. Because with her so close, I didn’t know if I could keep my cool.
Her hand trailed down my chest, down my abs, around my waist, fingers slipping just under the band of my jersey sleep pants. Her hips rolled toward mine again, legs squeezing to bring us closer together, and I let her, happy to give her what she wanted, hoping I could hang on and not push her. Her thigh was so soft under my palm, and I dug my fingers in gently. A soft hum passed her lips, and I let go to touch her face, wanting nothing more than to hear that sound again.
She broke away, leaning back.
“Are you okay?” I asked quietly.
“Yeah. Better than fine. We’ve barely touched and I already don’t know if I can stop.”
“I know.” I kissed her tenderly.
She sighed. “Can we wait a little longer?”
“We can wait as long as you want, Cam.”
She didn’t say anything, and I wished I could see her face. “Why are you perfect?”
“I’m far from perfect.”
“You’re spot on, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Ditto,” I said and kissed her again, hoping she knew how much I meant it.
BIG BAD BRAINS
Cam
THE AGGRESSIVE BEEPING OF MY alarm woke me the next morning, and I loathed the sound, not because it woke me up, but because it meant I had to get out of bed. And Tyler was in my bed.
He sighed, still mostly asleep as I turned off the offending noise, and when I looked back, I paused for just a second to watch him. The sun streamed in softly through the window, and he lay on his back, one hand under his pillow, the other on his chest. The muscles of his arms, his chest and stomach, the curves and shadows of his long body as he lay next to me simply beautiful.
I was filled with a sense of possession and wonder, the feeling so strong that I needed to transfer the emotion, pass it to him so he’d know how I felt, so I slipped back into bed and curled into him, pulling the covers up to my chin.
He wrapped his arms around me, turning so I was tucked in his chest. “Morning,” he said, voice rough.
“Morning.” I nestled deeper into his chest, eyes closed, breathing deep, wishing I could stay right there all day.
“I don’t wanna go to work.” His words rumbled through me.
I chuckled. “I was just thinking that.”
“What are you up to today?”
I leaned back so I could see him. “Rose and I are working together all day on administrative stuff. Super boring. But at least we have each other, and there will be drinks at lunch, so I guess I can’t complain. You?”
He propped his head on his hand and looked down at me. “Jack is back from Atlanta, so we’ll have a busy day getting caught up, I’m sure.”
“We’re lucky our bosses don’t suck.”
“We’re lucky our bosses love whiskey.”