Page 44 of Fight For Her
“I hope Mia made it back okay,” I rambled. “But then again, she has Shawn. I mean she’s a strong independent woman. It’s like I know this but can’t help but worry. Do you think they’re back? Want to call Shawn?”
I made my way to the dresser across the room, only stubbing my toe once miraculously. My eyes were getting adjusted to the darkness, but I still felt around for my phone like a blind baby animal. “Ah-ha, I found it.” I tapped the screen to life and immediately saw white spots in my field of vision. My battery was low, and there were no missed messages from Mia. Fingers crossed she was already in bed.
“No messages and my battery’s low. How’s your phone?” I asked as I tapped on Mia’s text thread shooting off a quick “Are you ok?” message. “Coby? Did you fall asleep?” Phone in hand, I had a much easier time navigating back to the bed by the glow of the screen. The walls shuddered as another gust lashed at the building. I hoped this place was stronger than it felt. “Coby?” I asked again. How was it that guys could sleep through anything? Ben used to sleep like the dead too. His alarm would wake me up, and he’d stay asleep, unbothered until I shook him for ten minutes straight. And now I was comparing Coby to Ben. Ick.
The first thing I noticed, besides him not answering me back in his joking Coby way, was his breathing. Rapid and shallow. I turned on my phone flashlight and put it down on the side table so I wouldn’t blind him. That’s when I saw that his eyes were open so wide I could see the entire white area surrounding his irises.
I recognized it immediately. Mia had her first panic attack during freshman year. It was my first time being there for someone in the thick of it.Instinct took over as I ran my hands though his hair and spoke gently. “It’s okay. We’re safe. I know it feels like we’re not. Every feeling you’re having is real, but I promise you, this will pass.” I massaged his scalp, using the tips of my nails for extra sensory stimulation. After Mia’s first attack, I’d looked up some ways to help in the moment. Most sources said to use as many senses as you could to keep yourself grounded and out of your head.
Coby closed his eyes and brought a shaky fist to rest under his nose. “Sorry.” He mumbled through his fist.
“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” His breathing seemed to be slowing. “Can I help you?” He took a ragged breath in through his mouth and nodded. I could see that the air barely reached his chest. Chest breathing was a big no-no. “Let’s breathe together.” I ran my hand down the side of his neck and over the slope of his corded shoulders, giving them a gentle knead before reaching right below his collarbones. I massaged small circles around the tight muscles there as best I could with him lying on his side.
“Deep breath in through your nose,” I followed suit, filling my chest with as much air as I could and holding it for three counts. “Now release it slowly.” I watched him do as I said, but I could still tell he wasn’t quite there yet. “Here, let’s sit up.” I pulled at his fist, tugging it away from his face and adjusted my position, so I’d be sitting directly in front of him. He’d have an easier time with his breathwork sitting instead of lying down, another fact I could thank Google for.
I dropped his fist, and his eyes widened. “Don’t go. Please,” he begged, his voice so much smaller than I’d ever heard it.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I took his hand in mine and brought it to rest over my sternum. “Feel the way I’m breathing.” I took another deep inhale, pushing the air all the way down into my belly before releasing it in a slow stream. His eyes burned into mine. “We’re going to do that again. This time you follow me. Feel my breath expanding my chest.” I reached out and settled my palms one on top of the other in the same spot between his pecs and used my fingertips to massage small circles into the tight muscles.
He nodded and let out a strangled moan as I paid extra attention to a knot there. “That’s good, babe. Let your chest open up.” I scooted closer, feeling the body heat between us. Sweat formed on my brow, and I wanted to wipe it away, but at the same time, I didn’t want to move my hands from Coby’s body. His eyes were closed, and the tightness in his face seemed to be softening. “Let’s take another breath. Follow the movement of my chest.” I laid one of my palms over his, keeping the other centered at his heart. His hand was so large it rested on the edges of my breasts. I tried not to think about the feelings his touch stirred within me. It wasn’t the time.
Another gust shook the walls, and his face tensed again. “Focus on my chest, the rise and fall.” My heart was breaking seeing him like this, but he seemed to be responding to me. I continued to rub small circles throughout the tight muscles surrounding his sternum. “That’s it. I can feel the air reaching lower now. Let’s do it again. This time hold for three counts. In…and one…two…three. Now let it out slowly.”
He opened his eyes as he released a steady stream of air, and I felt a zap of electricity between us. With nothing more than my phone light illuminating the small space, his eyes looked like pools of dark water. I couldn’t look away. Now I was the one who was breathing rapidly. I parted my lips, darting my tongue out to moisten them and saw his gaze focus on the movement. I went to pull my hand away from his chest. It felt different with him looking at me that way, but he caught it and placed it back into the same spot.
Another rattle shook the walls and then I was the one trembling. Our eyes stayed locked on each other, and we breathed in sync. One breath, then two. With the third release, I felt his hand flex, bunching up my loose shirt. “I’m going to kiss you now.” He pulled me closer until I was almost straddling his lap. So close that I could taste the next words leave his mouth. “Tell me you’re okay with that, baby, because if I have to wait one more second to feel your lips again, I might die right here.” I nodded, unable to get words out, and he closed the space between us, crashing his lips against mine.
I let go as soon as I felt our skin meet and opened to him. He explored me with his tongue, devouring me like a starved man. Every inch of my skin was burning for him—his taste, his smell, his warmth.
“Coby.” His name slipped out of my lips in a small needy moan. I scrambled onto his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck needing to get closer. He pulled me flat against him, tangling one hand in my ponytail while he gripped my hip with the other.
“God, Kendahl.” He kissed me deeply before nuzzling the side of my face and peppering kisses onto the space below my ear. “You taste like I remember. So fucking sweet.” I ground into him as he took my earlobe into his mouth with a hot suck. I needed to feel the delicious friction against my aching core. “So perfect,” he rasped into my ear. I moaned again, soft but needy. My body was on fire. How had I gone so long without this?
He tugged my ponytail loose and fisted my hair using the strands to pull my face back down to his. Our tongues tangled and lips explored with such urgency that I thought I might explode from the heat that was building inside me.
His hand moved from my hair to my breast, teasing my nipples through the thin fabric of my shirt. “Mmm,” I hummed, which made him circle the peaks faster as he sucked my lower lip. I was grinding shamelessly against his length, chasing the growing need within me.
“These tits are mine,” he growled before pulling my shirt up and over my head. He pulled back but only for a moment to take me in. Without my shirt or the heat of his body the cool air was almost too much for me to handle. My nipples hardened into tight peaks. He took one into his mouth and sucked hard before pulling off with a pop.
“So fucking perfect.” I arched and pulled his face back by his hair wanting him to take more, to take all of me. With another growl, he explored my tits, cupping them, then bringing each one to his mouth nipping, licking, and sucking until I was a puddle on top of him.
I pulled his hair again, wanting to see his face. I knew what I needed. I needed to come more than I think I’d ever needed to before. But taking that next step with Coby would break all of our rules. I wanted love more than anything. I was tired of casual sex. The way his eyes burned into me didn’t feel casual. Not at all. My decision was made. I wanted him. We’d figure out the rest later.
I moved my mouth over his, slow and soft at first taking control of the situation. If I was a puddle, I needed him to be too. I gave his hair another tug, and he grunted as he nipped at my bottom lip. I drew my hands down his chest and felt the carved planes of his abdomen over his still damp shirt. I was dying to feel his skin against mine with nothing between us.
When I reached the bottom edge, I slipped my hands underneath his shirt and played with the light dusting of hair slowly and teasingly. I let my fingertips graze the band of his boxers that peaked above his jeans. He shuddered and met my lips again. I bunched the bottom of his shirt in my hands about to bring it up his body and over his head, but I stopped short. My phone was vibrating on the end table with a buzzing that made me jump.
“Shit,” Coby grumbled. “You should probably get that.”
“You’re right. It could be important.” My phone was on low battery. If it was important, it may be the only chance for me to find out. I pushed myself off Coby’s lap and grabbed the phone. It was Mia. Thanks for the cockblock, bestie. But I was happy to see her name on the screen.
I grabbed my shirt because it felt weird to talk to her topless and turned on. “Hey, Mi. Are you guys okay?”
The room was dark again since my flashlight had turned off, but I could still feel Coby’s eyes burning into mine.
“We’re okay,” she said. “Just got back to the inn. I can’t believe we lost power. Mike told us a few minutes ago that the storm got upgraded from a hurricane watch to a warning. They’re thinking category one, and it’ll make landfall tomorrow.”
“Oh shit,” I said biting my lower lip. “So what does that mean for us? What about the wedding?” Coby reached for my hand giving it a squeeze.
