Love & Decay, Episode 11 by Rachel Higginson

around anymore.
    “I am so lucky that you picked me,” he continued.
    My heart jumped inside my chest and my whole body zinged with that compliment. “Hendrix,” I whispered, placing my hand against his rough beard. “I’m the lucky one. Lucky to be loved by you, to be protected by you. Lucky that you come after me when I do stupid things. Lucky that you love me like this.”
    He smiled at that and kissed me sweetly again. “Remember that the next time you think it’s a good idea to run off with our enemy.”
    A laugh bubbled up before I could stop it. “Believe me, lesson learned.”
    “Good.”
    He kissed the tip of my nose because he couldn’t help himself. And then my lips because they were obviously the next place to visit. And then he kept kissing me because neither of us could help ourselves.
    Soon we were tangled together again, limbs, hands mouths, as much of our bodies as we could put in contact with each other. He fumbled with the buttons of my flannel and I helped him by just ripping it over my head. I was left in a cami and filthy bra that had seen much better days. Hendrix didn’t seem to mind though as he attacked the tops of my breasts with a hunger that would have been funny if it wasn’t echoed in the core of my body.
    He lifted me up by the backs of my thighs and I gasped at the sudden sensation that I was air born. He brought me back to his body and I wrapped my legs around him. He stumbled- carefully because candles were everywhere- to the love seat and laid me down with tender gentleness.
    I looked up at him with awe and devotion, mesmerized as he tugged off his shirt and threw it at his feet. The cool air kissed my exposed skin sending chills skittering over me, but I felt on fire with this need for him, boiling with a desperation to touch him, be touched by him, to be with him.
    He toed off his boots next and then tugged at mine until they joined his in a pile on the floor. I thought he would attack me with the clawing desperation I felt for him, but he descended on me slowly, patiently waiting for me to stop him, asking for silent permission to let him touch me.
    I nibbled my lower lip and just let him come to me. His knee hit the couch first, between mine but set so that his body would be balanced above me. His other foot stayed on the floor since this loveseat was too small for his long body. His arms braced himself on either side of me and then finally his lips found mind again. He settled over me with just enough wait to make me practically begging for more of him. His body fit over mine perfectly, his hot skin felt insane against mine. And my head swum with the intense sensation of all of him like this, so intimate and sweet.
    This time when we kissed, we weren’t as hungry as before, not nearly as frantic to consume each other. Instead we poured that love and chest-filling emotion back into each other and just enjoyed the taste of each other on our tongues. Hendrix’s hands explored my body, touching as much of me as he could. And I let mine do the same to him. He was more than muscle and perfect body- he was him , he was Hendrix. And that was who I was in love with.
    After long, sweetly intimate moments, he pulled back and looked down at me. “I really didn’t bring you here just to seduce you.”
    “You brought me here to…. talk?” I smirked.
    He sat back on the couch, moving my legs out of the way and masterfully bringing me with him so I straddled his waist and looked down at him.
    “Originally this was the I Love You room, but you kind of changed my plans. Plan B was to get you cleaned up and then make out with you without getting interrupted,” he sighed.
    “Well, part of Plan B worked out for you.” I took his mouth in another lengthy, mind-numbing kiss with his jaw cupped in both of my hands.
    When we pulled apart his eyes were a little unfixed and his voice rough with want. “I want to go slow with you.”
    I frowned. I’d just given up that whole argument.