Page 1 of Unravelling: Aria & Crispin
Chapter 1
Aria
Aria was dreaming.
She lay in the heart of a sun-drenched meadow, cradled beneath the shade of a sprawling oak. The air was warm, thick with the scent of summer grass and the hum of distant bees. She felt a presence beside her-a warmth that settled next to her, a hand brushing back a stray strand of hair from her face.
A whisper-soft kiss grazed her lips.
She sighed, lost in the moment, too languid to wake. The warmth pressed closer, a familiar weight, fingertips trailing a slow, reverent path down her thighs. Light as a butterfly's wings, they traced the curve of her legs, skimming her skin in a way that made her shiver. She felt her thighs part, a featherlight touch teasing the sensitive, secret places of her body.
A finger slid into her, deep and unhurried. The movement was slow, patient-curling, stroking. A second finger joined, stretching her, the rhythm hypnotic, coaxing. A soft flick against the tight bundle of nerves sent heat unfurling low in her belly. Her body melted into it, pliant and yielding, the pleasure cresting in waves.
She tried to open her eyes, to see him, to pull herself from the dream, but before she could, the warmth inside her shifted. The fingers withdrew, replaced by something thicker, blunter. A slow glide, filling her in deliberate strokes, deep but gentle.
And then… eyes of the deepest blue.
Dark, almost black in the dim light, pupils blown wide, just a thin rim of indigo around them. He was watching her, his face taut with need, and she barely had time to take it in before-
It was over.
Crispin exhaled roughly against her neck, his chest heaving. "Sorry," he murmured. "It's been too long."
A week.
She blinked herself fully awake, still caught between the hazy edges of sleep and reality, feeling the weight of him against her. But already, his body was stirring again. She could feel him harden inside her, the tempo of his breathing quicken. He reached between them, fingertips finding her with practiced ease, and before she could stop herself, her body gave in, shattering around him.
He groaned as she clenched around him, burying his face against her shoulder. A thrust, then another, and he spilled into the condom, his breath ragged.
For a moment, they lay there, tangled in the sheets, their skin cooling in the morning air. He kissed her forehead-an afterthought, almost affectionate. Then, with the same fluid ease that always made her feel like this was all so temporary, he rolled off her, tied off the condom, and padded towards the bathroom.
The shower started a moment later.
Aria stretched, staring at the ceiling as she listened to the steady rush of water. Her body hummed, but her mind was already shifting elsewhere. She hoped he wouldn't take too long-last month's electricity bill had been through the roof.
She thought about telling him to keep it short.
But she didn't.
Instead, she pulled her T-shirt back down over her body and padded into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she emerged, Crispin was already at the kitchen counter, pouring coffee, still naked. He was beautiful-tall and lean, with sharp edges and smooth skin. The kind of man who moved through life with the quiet confidence of someone who never had to struggle.
He slid a mug towards her as she stepped into the kitchen.
"I have to run," he said, already shrugging into his shirt. "Got you breakfast."
She glanced at the paper bag on the counter.
"See you later today, okay?" He leaned in, kissed her cheek-light, casual, effortless-and then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him.
Aria exhaled slowly, staring at the bag.
She wasn't hungry anymore.
Chapter 2
Aria
Aria stood barefoot in the middle of her kitchen. The floor was freezing, and she lifted one foot off the floor to warm it on her shin while debating whether to crawl back under the covers. She could steal another half-hour of sleep, maybe forty minutes if she skipped washing her hair.
