I pulled back enough to look at him. His face was shadowed in the dim light, but his eyes were warm. Concerned. Assessing.
"Thank you." I whispered. "And thank you for not making me feel stupid."
"You're not stupid. You're traumatized. There's a difference." He brushed a strand of hair from my face. "And for the record, Katrina still loves you. She's just figuring out how to be a wife and a soon to be mom. Give her time. And Zara misses you too. Kids are resilient, but they notice when someone important is gone."
Fresh tears welled up. "I don't know how to do this. How to move forward."
"One day at a time. And you don't have to do it alone."
I rested my head against his chest again, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat. It was soothing. Grounding.
"Will you stay?" I asked quietly. "Just for tonight?"
"I'm not going anywhere."
He shifted us both until we were lying down, me tucked against his side, his arm around me. I should've felt awkward, should've told him to leave. But I was so tired, and he was warm, solid, and safe.
Within minutes, I was asleep.
I woke to sunlight streaming through the window and the feeling of being wrapped in warmth. For a moment, I didn't remember where I was. Then I felt the arm around my waist, the solid chest at my back, and the steady breathing against my neck.
Mikhail. He'd stayed all night.
I shifted slightly, and that's when I felt it. The hard length pressing against my lower back. Heat flooded my body.
Oh. Is that all him?I wondered.
"It's normal," Mikhail said, his voice rough with sleep. "Natural. Doesn't mean I'm going to try anything."
I swallowed hard. "What if I want you to?" Because my body was already responding to how good he felt wrapped around me.
His breathing changed, deepening. His hand splayed across my stomach, fingers flexing. He pulled me flat against him, letting me feel the length of his body along mine. I couldn’t remember the last time that I’d had sex with someone, which meant it was much too long. Taking care of Zara and hiding out limited my interactions with people, only what was necessary. That wasn’t the case any more. I arched into him, aligning what I needed with what he could give me.
"Shanice," he warned.
"I mean it." I turned my head slightly, trying to see his face. "Last night, you held me together. And this morning, I feel safe for the first time in forever. Because of you. So what if I want more?" I put my hand over his, caressing his fingers.
For a long moment, he didn't move. Then he leaned forward, his nose brushing along the column of my neck. He inhaled deeply, a low growl rumbling in his chest. I held my breath, unable to ruin the moment.
"You smell so fucking good," he murmured.
Then his lips were on my neck, hot and soft and devastating. I exhaled, then gasped, as I relaxed against his hold.
His hand moved up, cupping my breast through my thin sleep shirt. He found my nipple, already peaked and sensitive, and rolled it between his fingers.
"Mikhail," I breathed. “Please.”
"Shh." He kissed the spot just below my ear, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. "Just feel."
He worked my nipples with expert precision. Tweaking, rolling, and tugging until I was squirming against him. His mouth never left my neck, kissing, sucking, and biting gently. I was sure that he would leave marks that I'd see later and remember this moment.
The pleasure built, coiling tighter in my core. I couldn't believe this was happening, that he could make me feel this good just from touching my breasts and kissing my neck.
"That's it," he murmured against my skin. "Let go for me."
He tweaked my nipples harder. I rotated my hips against him creating the friction that I needed, and I shattered. The orgasm rolled through me in waves, making me cry out and shake in his arms. He held me through it, his hands gentling, his lips pressing soft kisses to my shoulder.
When I finally came down, I was panting and boneless.
