Her body still trembles beneath mine, and her breath is hitching in soft, uneven waves. I swear I’ve never felt anything so raw, so real. I stay there for a moment, buried deep, my face pressed into her neck, trying to catch my breath, trying to hold onto the feeling of being this close to her.
She’s everything.
Everything.
I shift slowly, brushing her damp hair from her forehead, needing to see her face.
“Stormy …” Her name breaks in my throat. “You’re incredible. You’re everything.”
I kiss her cheek, her jaw, and the curve of her throat, with soft, lingering touches like I’m afraid she’ll disappear if I don’t anchor her to me.
“You okay?” I ask, needing to know I didn’t push too far.
She nods, and I feel something loosen in my chest. Relief. Gratitude.
I press a kiss to her shoulder, whispering, “I’ve got you. Let me take care of you.”
I ease out of her carefully, groaning at the loss of her warmth, and slip away just long enough to clean myself up, grab a warm cloth and a towel.
When I return, she’s still there, soft, open. and trusting, and it hits me all over again how lucky I am.
I clean her up gently, murmuring apologies when she flinches, my heart aching at how sensitive she is.
“You’re soaked,” I whisper, glancing down at the mess between us. “You came so hard for me …”
It’s not pride. It’s awe.
She gave me everything, and I want to honour that.
I toss the towel aside and help her to stand as I strip the damp sheets, replacing them with fresh ones before climbing back into bed and pulling her into my arms.
She melts against me, and I wrap her up like she’s something sacred.
My fingers trace lazy patterns over her back, lips brushing her temple.
“You’re perfect,” I whisper again, because I can’t stop saying it. “So strong. So beautiful. I don’t think I’ll ever get over you.”
I hold her like she’s the centre of my world, because she is.
“I never thought I’d feel this,” she admits. “Safe. Wanted. Like I’m not too much.”
I kiss her forehead, staying there.
“You could never be too much,” I whisper. “You’re exactly enough.”
Her breathing begins to slow, and each inhale gets softer and steadier. She’s still tucked against me with her hand resting over my heart like she’s claiming it. And maybe she is. Maybe she already has.
I watch her eyelids flutter once and then settle. Her lips part slightly, and her body loosens in my arms. She’s asleep. Just like that. And it wrecks me in the gentlest way. Because this—her trusting me enough to fall asleep like this … It’s not just comfort. It’s courage. After everything she’s been through, after all the times she had to be her own shield … She’s letting me be that for her now. And I don’t take it lightly.
I brush a strand of hair from her face, careful not to wake her, and just… watch.
I’m so glad I tore my walls down for her. So glad I stopped pretending I didn’t need anyone. Because this—her—she’s worth every cracked piece of armour I left behind. I hold her closer, pressing a kiss to her hair, and whisper into the quiet,
“Sleep, Stormy. I’ve got you.”
And I do.
49
