He traced a path of kisses down her neck, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Her skin hummed under his touch, each feather-light brush of his fingers against her bare shoulder, each gentle nip of his teeth at the sensitive hollow of her throat adding fuel to the fire that simmered in her core.
He pressed his forehead against hers, a quiet moment of understanding passing between them before he claimed her mouth again, deeper, a silent promise in their mingling breath. His hand moved lower, tracing the curve of her hip, his touch sending a thrill down her spine.
"You're still the sexiest woman I’ve ever known,” he rasped, carefully easing her tank top over each shoulder, taking extra time with the one that had been injured, before lifting the entire piece of clothing over her head. His gaze burned into the bareness of her. "Every part of you." The heat of his stare was a caress, warmth flooded every crevice of her being.
She looked into his eyes, and for the first time in an eternity, she let herself surrender. She arched up against him. His hands were rough, callused from years of combat, yet they held her with a gentleness so profound it was like the touch of the first spring breeze after a brutal winter.
His fingers traced her body, following every curve and hollow. Every brush of his touch melted the icy walls she'd built around herself. they ignited something within her. Pulling him closer, she entwined her fingers with his.
The way he traced a hot trail down her arm sent shivers dancing across her skin. The warmth of his breath on her nape, the smoothness of his skin rubbing against hers, the slight stubble on his cheek tickling her flesh—it all blurred into a whirlwind of sensations that left her breathless. She never imagined just being there with him would make her feel that way. It was intoxicating, overwhelming—a wild, reckless surrender to the moment.
She opened her mouth beneath his, welcoming the taste of him— masculine and raw, with an edge that had always made her feel alive.
He rested his elbow beside her head, broke the kiss off, and stared at her intently… lovingly. “Are you okay? Your ribs? I’m not crushing them? You’re not in too much pain?”
This was one of the many reasons she was always letting him back into her bed. He’d always been so unselfish. So, considerate. So kind. “I’m fine.” She pressed her palm against his cheek.
He smiled before kissing her with an urgency that echoed the drumming of her heart. It was maddening and enticing, a delicious torment she never wanted to escape from. His warmth, his scent, the feel of his body against hers—every sensation overwhelmed and consumed her.
His hand slipped under the fabric of her underwear, his touch electric against her skin. A gasp escaped her lips, her eyes slipping shut instinctively. Her body responded willingly, her skin prickling at his every move. She could feel his breath against her skin, husky and erratic. The air in the room seemed charged with an energy she couldn’t name.
His fingers skimmed lower, tracing a path of fire. Her heart pounded in rhythm with his movements. She could feel everything—the coolness of the room contrasting sharply with the heat of his body and the cotton sheets beneath her skin. The musky scent of him filled her nostrils. He was everywhere and everything.
A soft groan vibrated against her lips as he teased her with his fingers. Sensation spiraled through her body, washing away everything but the rising tide of their connection. His taste lingered on her tongue, a memento of a shared moment that felt as endless as the sunrise.
He took her nipple in his mouth, rolling it between his lips, and she arched her back, wanting to feel more of him, needing to have him closer. His teeth grazed lightly, casting sparks of pleasure through her nerves that seemed to echo in the very marrow of her bones.
His hand continued its deliberate exploration, charting paths and tracing contours that she'd almost forgotten existed. She squirmed beneath him, a floodgate of need threatening to spill over. His mouth left her breast, his lips trailing fiery kisses down her stomach and past her belly button, making her gasp andgrasp his shoulder. Her heartbeat pounded so forcefully against her ribcage that it was a wonder it didn't break free.
He nuzzled against her inner thigh, his hot breath causing her heart to leap. There was a pause, a split second of silent communication where everything else ceased to exist. Then he tasted her, his tongue doing wicked, wonderful things that sent sparks racing through her body. His name slipped from her lips, a whispered prayer amidst shuddering breaths.
A sound, guttural and primal, echoed from his throat, and the vibration of it against her skin drove her higher. She fisted her good hand in his hair, pulling him closer as she writhed beneath him. The rhythm of his mouth on her, the steady pressure of his fingers inside her, drove her higher and higher.
The world outside dissolved into nothingness. All that existed was Kawan—the heat of his body, the firmness of his grip, the seductive dance of his tongue. Pleasure coiled tighter within her, a spring wound to it’s breaking point.
"Kawan," she managed between gasps, her voice hoarse and coated with desire. "I can't... I'm..."
He understood. His fingers flexed, his tongue flicked, and it was the final touch of magic needed to unlock the gate. Pleasure exploded within her like a supernova, spreading warmth in a rippling wave that left her breathless and trembling.
Tears leaked from her closed eyes, sliding down the sides of her face and soaking into her hair. A whisper of realization—of understanding—rang loudly in the silence of her heart.
She was not alone.
She pulled him up to her, wrapping her arms around his neck for a searing kiss.
Kawan looked down at her with those stormy eyes, a question reflected in their beautiful depths. Her breath hitched slightly as he hesitated, but she silenced any further uncertainties.
"Yes." She dug fingers into his strong back aching with a need only he could satiate. She wanted him closer, deeper. She wanted every inch of his body to claim every inch of hers.
Slowly, almost torturously, he pushed inside her. She gasped, eyes fluttering closed as she acclimated to the feeling of him stretching her, filling her. It was a sensation she'd missed, craved even. It was Kawan. Always Kawan.
"Look at me," he rasped, voice edged with emotion. A command coated with a plea.
She opened her eyes and looked up at him—his dark, tousled hair, the lines of concentration etched on his forehead, the way stubble shadowed his jaw—all against a backdrop of a golden sunrise. She breathed out a silent oath, squeezing her muscles around him in silent encouragement.
He groaned, hands bracing on either side of her as he moved with slow, controlled thrusts. Each one pushed her closer to the edge, brought her higher into the realm of pleasure they'd only just touched.
Kawan kissed her then a promise and a vow that seemed to echo her silent oath from moments before. As she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, the world contracted to just the two of them—their bodies joined, their breath mingling, their hearts beating in harmony.
