He doesn’t reply. I lift my lips and kiss him again. He sighs and raises his hand to my nape, kissing me back. I reach for the buttons of his shirt, undoing them so I can slide my hands over his chest.
“Rachel…”
I shake my head. I don’t want him to hesitate. I want this. “Don’t stop,” I whisper.
He kisses me again, this time, more deeply. I moan against his mouth as he undoes the tie of my robe, reaching inside it to stroke my heated skin. I shrug it off and press my body against his, not caring that we’re out on the balcony. He’s already hard against my belly and thigh. I grind against him, and he groans, cupping my butt and lifting me off my feet.
I wrap my legs around his waist, letting him carry me inside, still kissing me. We make it to the living room before he lays me on the soft carpet, kneeling over me. He spreads my robe and leans down, drawing a nipple into his mouth and sucking deeply through the lace of my bra. My body arches in pleasure, lifting towards him. He slides one hand between my legs, palming me over my panties and rubbing me gently. My hips roll, my whole body clenching with the need for more.
I cry out when he moves his hand away, waiting breathlessly when he reaches behind me for the fastening of my bra and deftly removes the lacy undergarment. Then his hand slides back between my legs, inside my panties and between my folds, circling over my clit before sliding down to rim the entrance to my body.
The pleasure is intense. He lowers his head to my chest, licking the soft, sensitive skin of each breast before sucking on my nipples. I moan breathlessly, my skin misting with sweat as his touch drives me nearly insane.
Still touching me, he licks a path from my breast up to my ear. I feel his tongue in the underside of my earlobe, teasing and tasting. The pleasure brings tears to my eyes, and I reach for his face, pulling him close so I can suck on his lip. I thrust my tongue inside his mouth, trembling when he responds with a low groan.
He raises his head, and for a moment, he’s just looking down at me. My eyes are unfocused with pleasure, especially when he chooses that moment to slide his fingers into my body, finding the most sensitive spot inside me and rubbing gently.
“What do you want me to do?” His voice is whisper soft. “What should I do?”
Through the fog of arousal in my brain, I know he’s not asking about right now, but at this moment, all I want is to surrender myself to his touch.
“Don’t stop touching me,” I tell him.
His fingers plunge deeper inside me, spreading to stimulate my inner walls, while his thumb circles my clit, massaging it until I can’t take it anymore. His lips cover mine as I cry out, my body rippling with the pleasure of my orgasm.
Lost in my post-orgasmic haze, I don’t remember much about being carried to the bedroom. I don’t remember him undressing me or putting me under the covers. But I remember his voice in my ear as I fall asleep.
“Don’t leave.”
ANOTHER one of Landon’s nightmares wakes me up. He’s moaning, his hands digging into the pillow he’s clutching tightly. The curtains are not fully drawn, and a little predawn light falls into the room from the sound proof windows, bathing his face with a muted light and showing me the tears glistening on his cheeks.
“Please,” I hear him whisper. “Please.”
I reach for him, gently stroking his hair. “Landon. Wake up.”
He reacts to my voice, a small frown appearing on his face. Slowly, his body relaxes and he opens his eyes. Intense relief washes over his features when he sees me.
“You’re here,” he breathes.
“I am,” I say with a small smile.
He pulls me towards him, positioning me to lay on his chest, then his arms come up around me. I relax into his warmth. “You were crying,” I murmur. “Was it worse than usual?”
He is silent. I raise my head to look at him, waiting for an answer.
“It was you,” he says quietly.
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s always my mother,” he says. “In the accident.” He meets my eyes. “This time, it was you, and I couldn’t save you.”
I close my eyes. Of course, he can’t save me. His love could, but he can’t give me that. “There’s no accident,” I breathe softly. “I’m fine. I don’t need saving.”
He looks as if he’s about to argue. I shake my head and rise to my knees, placing one knee on either side of him, I take his face in my hands. “Stop torturing yourself,” I tell him intently. “You’re not going to hurt me. I’m going to be fine.”
But am I? I push the doubts away as his hands close over mine, squeezing gently, as he lifts them from his face. “I already have,” he whispers.
I close my eyes. “Don’t think about that.”