Page 37 of Eye of Her Storm

Sighing, Seth watched Tai go. He understood the emotions roiling within his lover. Panic, fear, horror at River’s past and her imminent future. The same warred inside him. He took a deep inhale of River’s scent and pulled her closer to him, her back to his front. Carefully, he kept his arm away from the purpling welt on her side.

“The symptoms are getting worse,” she whispered.

He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her temple. “It will be okay, love. We’ll be right here for you.”

“I sometimes wonder if it would be better for me to be fine until that day then poof! I’m gone. Or…does the decline prepare you and everyone around you. Is it better?”

Was that a rhetorical question? He hoped so because he didn’t have an answer.

“Will you do me a favor?” she asked.

“What?”

“I know you’ll take care of Tai. But…will you make sure he’s okay? I want you to take him mountain climbing…exploring…to see beautiful things. You both need to live life to the fullest and appreciate all the beauty life has for you. Feel alive!”

“Riv…we’re going to do those things with you. Next week, we’re going.”

Silence grew between them, and Seth worried that she was disputing his words, that she didn’t think next week would happen.

“I know,” she finally said. “It’ll be great. I told you guys the places I want to see, and I can’t wait, but I have another list, too. A different bucket list. It’s in my journal—the one my counselor told me to keep. Those are the things I want you guys to do. For me.”

Fuck, he was going to cry. “Okay,” he muttered, pressing his face to her shoulder and breathing in her sweet scent again. He’d never have enough of it.

“I was reading the other day… Did you know California has medically assisted suicide? That it’s legal there?”

“What?” he exclaimed, pulling back and rolling her onto her back. He loomed over her and glared. “You are not doing that! River, don’t even think about it.”

She shrugged. “There’s no shame in it. It’s just something. I mean…who knows what it will be like…near the end…you know?”

“No, we’re not doing this, and you’re not doing that.” Leaning forward, he pressed his lips over hers. Angrily, he kissed her, forcing her lips open and thrusting his tongue against hers. River moaned, lifting her arms to circle his shoulders. One of her legs lifted to bracket his side. As she responded, the kiss gentled, easing into a slow glide of tongues against one another. He gripped her hip, his other hand keeping his weight off her. His teeth nipped her lower lip then he drew it into his mouth to soothe the flesh. Responding with a soft sound of pleasure, River ran her hand down his chest and over his belly. She stopped only when she’d reached his cock then gave it a firm squeeze.

“Love, we can’t.” He grasped her wrists and held them captive beside her head.

“Why not?”

“Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re hurt and you don’t feel well. Does that mean I don’t want to fuck you? No. I want nothing more than to drive my cock so deep inside you that you’ll feel me there hours later, that my cum will drip from you the rest of the day. I want to feel your sweet pussy milking me, squeezing me so tight I can’t stop from losing myself and filling you.”

“Oh God…” she gasped.

He grinned against her mouth. “You like me talking that way to you?”

“Don’t stop.”

“Even after I come that first time…I’ll still be hard. I’ll turn you over onto your knees, push your shoulders into the mattress and show you exactly who you belong to and that I will never let you go.” He bit her shoulder then kissed a trail up to her ear. “Who do you belong to, River?”

She let out a breath she must have been holding while he’d spoken. It was almost a gasp, almost a moan. Her body arched beneath him, seeking contact with his erection, obviously wanting to rub against him. He wouldn’t let her. Not yet.

“Answer me. Who do you belong to? Who takes care of you? Who will always want the best for you?”

“You.”

“That’s right. Me. And Tai. Now, what do you want?”

“I want you to fuck me.”

He shook his head then ghosted his lips across hers. “Not gonna happen.”

“Why?” she whined, trying to get free of his grasp.

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