"Tristan..."she breathed, and my name on her lips was the most beautiful prayer.
Her hands explored my chest, tracing paths of desire on my skin.Every caress was an absolution, every kiss a whispered forgiveness.When her nails dug gently into my shoulders, I groaned with pleasure, lost in this symphony of sensations.
When I finally entered her, slowly, reverently, it was as if our souls were merging.Her eyes widened with surprise and pleasure, and I held still for a moment, savoring this rediscovered connection.
"Look at me," I whispered, my hands framing her face."I want to see your eyes when I make love to you."
Our caresses became more eager, more burning.Eva arched with pleasure in my arms, her eyes never leaving mine, as if to make sure I was entirely with her in this sacred moment.I made love to her with desperate fervor, as if we were discovering each other for the first time, as if every movement could erase the pain I had caused.
I moved in and out of her with a passion I didn't know I possessed, each thrust a silent declaration.I worshipped her with my hands, my mouth, murmuring words of love against her damp skin.My movements became deeper, more frenzied, and her breathing quickened as pleasure built between us like an inexorable wave.
"I'm yours, Eva," I groaned against her neck."Only yours."
"Do you swear it?"
"I swear it, Eva."
"Yes!Yes, more.More," she gasped, her legs tightening around me.
I repeated those words like a mantra, never ceasing my rhythm, and I would repeat them as many times as it took to erase every trace of doubt and every shadow from her mind.When her body convulsed with pleasure beneath mine, crying out my name in complete abandon, I came deep inside her in powerful spurts, her name tearing from my throat like a prayer.
We fell asleep that night pressed against each other, me still deeply buried inside her, as if we were one.Her head rested in the crook of my neck, and I felt her warm breath against my skin, steady and peaceful.
For the first time in months, I slept peacefully.
Since we had started making love again, I could see Eva's defenses gradually crumbling, like cracked walls letting light filter through.Her trust was returning slowly, like a wounded bird venturing out of its nest again.Every spontaneous smile, every burst of laughter, every hand reached out to me was a small victory that warmed my heart.
But I wasn't naive.I knew that repairing broken trust would take time.Even though she said nothing, I could still feel that reserve, that subtle but palpable distance between us.Sometimes, her gaze would darken, as if captured by painful memories that came to tarnish the light in her eyes.
That morning, as we were having breakfast together, I saw her drift into her thoughts, her coffee growing cold in her hands.Her expression had closed off, and I recognized that shadow that veiled her features when she thought back to Audrey, to my lies, to my betrayal.
"Hey, stay with me," I murmured softly, placing my hand on hers, trying to bring her back to the present moment.
Eva startled slightly, torn from her thoughts, and smiled at me.A fragile smile that cruelly reminded me of how deeply I had hurt her.Each time, I cursed myself a little more for having caused so much pain, fully realizing how rebuilding broken trust was a challenge of every moment.
"Sorry," she said, squeezing my hand."I was just thinking..."
"About what?"I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
She hesitated, then shook her head.
"It's nothing.It's stupid."
"Nothing you feel is stupid, Eva.Talk to me."
Her eyes filled with tears she tried to hold back.
"Sometimes, I'm still scared.Scared that all of this is just a dream, that I'll wake up and you'll be gone.Scared that you'll get tired of me again."
Every word was a stab to my heart.I brought her hand to my lips and placed a tender kiss on it.
"I'll never leave, Eva.Never again.And I'll spend every day of my life proving it to you."
***
Eva and I entered the clinic together for our first ultrasound, her fingers intertwined with mine.I could feel her excitement through the slight pressure of her hand.
"Are you okay?"I asked her, knowing how much she had been waiting for this moment.