Page 21 of Burning Love

“Oh, Sophie. You’re so fucking beautiful. You were so fucking wet too.”

Afterward, they lay entwined, Sophia’s body still humming from the intensity of what this woman had just done to her. She traced patterns on Alex’s arm, her fingers lingering on the scars that lay there. She marveled at the contrast between the strength in Alex’s body and the tenderness and passion she had shown.

Alex smirked, her fingers still lazily tracing along Sophia’s spine. “I can’t believe we did that. Look at my pants. You got them all wet.”

Sophia let out a breathless laugh, pressing a soft kiss to Alex’s shoulder. “I feel embarrassed, a happy kind of embarrassed. That was… so fast for me. And so, so good.”

Alex chuckled, tightening her arm around Sophia’s waist. “Don’t be embarrassed. I can’t help being that good, right?” She pressed a slow, lingering kiss to Sophia’s temple as she let out a soft laugh. “Just joking. But you know what? You brought it out of me. I loved every second of it. Watching your face… Christ, it was worth it.”

Sophia hummed in agreement, her fingertips skimming along Alex’s ribs. “God, yes. We took one hell of a risk doing that out here. What if someone had… I suppose we shouldn’t have…” She exhaled sharply, her lips brushing against Alex’s jaw. “Actually, being out here like this… with you… just made it even more exciting.”

Alex grinned, shifting so their bodies pressed even closer. “You liked that, huh?”

Sophia nipped at Alex’s bottom lip before murmuring, “Oh, Ilovedit.”

“Do you ever think about how strange this is?” Sophia’s voice was soft, her breath warm against Alex’s shoulder.

“What? Liking women?”

“No. Not that. I mean this. This life we’re living. It’s so surreal.”

Alex sighed, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm as she sat up and put her shirt back on before handing Sophia’s clothes back to her. “All the time. It’s like, we’re living in a nightmare, but moments like now could make it bearable, I guess.”

Sophia propped herself up and, in turn, started to slip her still-quivering body back into her clothes, her gaze fixed on Alex’s face the whole time. “Tell me something. Something real.”

Alex hesitated, her eyes clouding over. “You want real? Okay.” She took a deep breath and laid back on the grass, staring up at the sky. “A couple of weeks ago, I was on a patrol. We came across a group of zombies—nothing unusual, right? But there was this one... it was a kid. Couldn’t have been more than ten years old.” Her voice wavered, the memory clearly haunting her. “It was mangled, half its face gone. But the worst part? It was holding a teddy bear.”

Sophia’s heart clenched; the image Alex painted searing into her mind. “God, Alex, that’s horrible. Not the post-orgasm chat I was hoping for.”

Alex nodded, her jaw tightening. “Yeah. Sorry. You wanted real. And I had to end it. It’s just, every time I close my eyes, I see that kid. And I wonder how much of who we were stays with us when we turn?”

Sophia reached out, cupping Alex’s cheek. “You did what you had to. It’s not fair, but you’re still here, and you’re still fighting. That’s what matters. You didn’t let it suffer.”

Alex leaned into the touch, her eyes closing briefly. “Thanks. It helps, hearing that. I feel there is nobody here who I can talk to about emotions. There is nobody like you.” Her body felt so warm beneath Sophia’s fingertips, her skin still slightly damp from exertion. She pressed a soft kiss to Alex’s shoulder, then another, savoring the quiet, the closeness.

Alex let out a slow, contented sigh. “That feels nice.”

Sophia smiled against her shirt. “Good.” She let her hand wander, sliding down Alex’s forearm. The air between them was calm now, softened by the aftermath of their union, but there was still a weight hanging over them—the ghost of Alex’s memory, the child with the teddy bear.

Sophia shifted, propping herself up slightly so she could see Alex’s face in the dim light. “I do know that feeling,” she murmured.

Alex turned her head, watching her. “Yeah?”

Sophia nodded. “There was this one time, back when I first got separated from my dancing crew.” She hesitated, the memory sitting heavy in her chest. Alex’s hand, strong and grounding, slid up her thigh. That simple touch made it easier to go on. “I was holed up in this hotel for days, maybe weeks, and first the power was gone, then the water stopped working. I had collected what I could from the hotel. But I was thirsty, exhausted. Oh, I remember the thirst. I knew I couldn’t wait much longer. I had to get out. I had to go scavenging. When I got outside, I very quickly met this guy, a cab driver—Caleb. He was…” She searched for the right words, her hand coming to rest over Alex’s heart, feeling its steady rhythm. “He was sweet. Kind of young, eager to prove himself. He told me to stay close, to keep quiet.” Her breath hitched, just slightly. Alex noticed—of course she did—and reached up, running her fingers through Sophia’s hair, coaxing her to continue.

“What happened?” Alex asked softly.

Sophia exhaled, finding a moment’s peace in Alex’s touch. “I was willing to follow him to the ends of the earth. What choice did I have? He kind of put himself in charge, and I was fine with that. We were in a house somewhere, going through some stranger’s fridge, when we heard it—a scratching sound coming from behind a door. Caleb went to open it. I couldn’t stop him.”

Alex’s hand slid from Sophia’s hair. “One of them, right?”

Sophia nodded. “A woman. Or what was left of one. Her face was ruined, just shreds of skin hanging off. I can’t even begin to describe the shock. But she was wearing this necklace—this silver locket, the kind you keep pictures in. She was clutching it even as she lunged for Caleb. Like, when you said about that teddy. It’s like maybe they still remember something from before?”

Alex’s fingers tightened slightly where they rested on the small of Sophia’s back. “Shit. Yeah, maybe they do.”

Sophia sighed, pressing her forehead against Alex’s shoulder. “Caleb was gone. He tripped. She was on him in a heartbeat.” She swallowed, her hand pressing flat against Alex’s stomach like she needed something solid to hold onto. “I killed her, but it was too late for Caleb. I can’t even remember how I did it.”

Alex’s arms came around her, pulling her closer. Sophia let herself be held for a moment, inhaling the scent of Alex’s skin, the lingering salty scent of her sweat.

---