Page 5 of Fragile Love (Fragile 3)
Swallowing the last drops of her tea, she set the cup on the wall unit and rubbed the towel through her hair again. It was mostly dry; she was far too tired to blow-dry it. If she woke up with a stuffy nose, so be it.
The instant her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light. It was one of those brief periods of time when sleep is so deep that one-minute feels just as good as an hour. When Cayden climbed into bed and turned off the lamp, she was jolted awake.
“It’s okay,” he cooed, stroking her hair with his hand. She turned onto her side to look at him lying there. His hair was still a tiny bit damp, too, but the warmth radiating from his body felt incredible.
“Why are you here?” she murmured.
Cayden looked at her calmly. She wished that, in the faintness of the room’s automatic night light, she could see the blue of his eyes. All she could see were his silhouette and the shape of his eyes.
Keeping his hand on her hair, he scooted his body closer to her and put his lips on her forehead. She let out a happy little noise, surprising herself, and she could feel him smiling. He lowered his lips to her nose, her cheekbone, and finally her mouth. The kisses were so light, as if she was made of glass and he feared he might break her. She felt a tremor come over her body, rippling from her core down to the tips of her fingers and toes.
Then she put her hand on his head, pulling him closer. She had only slept for ten minutes, and he accommodated her frailty. His body practically wrapped around hers, and as soon as she put her leg over his, she felt that he had not put his boxers back on after the shower. His skin was so incredibly soft; she ran her hands down the whole length of his leg, as far as she could reach from this angle. His thighs were lined with ridges from the muscles that dwelled under her touch. Chill bumps raised on his flesh, following her fingers in a trail. She liked the reaction.
He shifted his body, scooting down a little so he could kiss along her chin and jaw line. The closer his lips got to her ears and neck, the more aware she became of goose bumps and tiny hairs rising on her own skin. He was there in no time; the tip of his tongue teasing the bottom of her earlobe, gently pulling it with his teeth until she couldn’t take it anymore. Nibbling his way down to the base of her neck, his warm breath touched her skin so lightly it aroused her in ways she had never experienced. A soft groan danced out of her throat.
He pulled her hips closer, returning his kisses to her mouth and touching her inner thigh. At the feel of his hand on the tender skin, her heart leapt. In wordless agreement, she gently tugged on his shoulder and he rolled on top of her. They kissed again; she felt that wonderful, safe feeling of being enveloped by his strong body as he slid inside her effortlessly. His pulse matched her own, and she felt every inch of her body tense and relax as if she were getting a massage. Her mind began to float away, until it was lost in the wavelike undulations of their bodies.
Their skin tightened, and arms curled around each other in ecstasy. They had become one shape so many times before, but nothing like this. All the pent-up longing for each other they had held inside, waiting for this moment, was finally released. The weight of all they had been through was released, and the desire hot in their souls made its way through every vein in their bodies.
“You’re amazing.” Lillian felt his every breath on the back of her neck as he held her from behind, both lying there limply. She wasn’t sure if it was really his voice or if it was simply his exhale as she remembered his words from the car.
Without saying anything, she smiled and held his arm tight against her chest. They tumbled into a blissful, exhausted slumber.
WHEN SHE OPENED HER eyes, she saw Cayden’s face beside hers.
He looked at her, eyelids heavy with sleep. “There are those blue eyes,” she heard herself say, and felt her lips pull upward.
“Breakfast ends in half an hour,” he said, his voice as rough as gravel.
“You’re really excited about it, aren’t you?”
He nodded. “I told you, I’m a sucker for a good continental hotel breakfast.”
“What time is it?” She felt infinitely better, but still like she could pass out for another ten hours easily.
“About eight-thirty. I just checked.”
“Has my phone rung?”
“I haven’t heard anything.”
She sighed and draped an arm over Cayden’s chest. He scratched her back and tried to tickle her ribs. Squealing, she curled up into a ball and did her best to shove him away, but he wasn’t going easy on her.
“Stop, stop!” she begged, and he did. She propped herself up on her elbow and beamed at him. It didn’t even cross her mind to be ashamed or embarrassed that they were both stark naked. His chiseled chest and abdomen were a perfect sight for first thing after waking up.
“Come on, let’s get ready. I want to make it down before all the waffles are gone.” He suddenly raised himself up to plant a kiss right on her mouth; she let out a surprised little shriek, falling back onto the bed. Cayden walked over to the chair and slowly pulled his boxers on, knowing full well her eyes were attached to his backside.
She whistled. “Good morning to you, too!”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you this chipper in...” He scratched his chin. “I can’t remember the last time.”
“Oh, shut up.” She grabbed a sock that had somehow ended up on the headboard last night, and flung it at him.
He ducked and grabbed her T-shirt from the chair. “Have mercy!”
Compared to his chest, her shirt was tiny. The sight made her laugh, and despite his asking twice what was so funny she could only make herself point at him. He didn’t understand and gave up.
Still tired, she peeled her body off the bed and snatched the shirt from him. “I don’t get a show?” He fake-pouted.
