“It’s just a bad dream, baby. Wake up.?
?? She could feel Richard’s cool palm stroking her face and she blinked, trying to open her heavy eyelids.
“Am I awake now?” She couldn’t tell reality from imagination, but she reached out to touch his hand, stilling it as he tried to calm her.
“Yes you are,” he replied. There was amusement in his voice. “Would you like some water?”
She sat up, her eyes adjusting to the half-light. Her heart was hammering against her chest. “Yes, please.” She glanced at the alarm clock; the hazy red glow of numbers telling her it was one in the morning.
“Here, take a sip.” His voice was low as he lifted the glass to her lips, his eyes dark as she swallowed the cool liquid. Hanna let the water moisten her mouth, feeling it cool her as it slipped down her throat.
“I’m sorry I woke you.”
“I haven’t been to sleep yet,” Richard admitted. “I was trying to finish up some work.
A glance at his attire told her he was speaking the truth. His cotton shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, rolled up to reveal strong forearms peppered with hair. His shirt had come untucked from his pants, hanging loosely to his hips, wrinkled from a long evening of work.
“I just went to check on Matty when I heard you call my name. I thought you must be having a good dream.” There was a smile in his voice. “Imagine my surprise when your dream turned out to be a nightmare.”
Hanna closed her eyes, trying to erase the image of her boys so far away in the distance. “You kept running away from me.” She swallowed, still tasting the arid dirt in her mouth. Richard, sensing her need, lifted the glass to her lips once again.
“I’ll never run away from you.” His voice was heavy with emotion. “That should have been enough to tell you it was a dream.”
Tears stung at Hanna’s eyes, pooling on the rims, making her vision blur. Richard reached out to stroke her hair, his fingers gentle as he caressed her neck, moving his fingers down to her bare shoulders.
“You’re driving me crazy,” he confessed, tracing tiny circles on her skin. “Every part of you.”
Her breath hitched. Memories from earlier in the evening played on her mind; vivid reminders of how close they had come to consummating their burgeoning relationship. As he sat on the bed, his strong body dwarfing hers, she found herself wanting to submit to his possession.
He drew a line up her spine with his hand, resting on her neck for a moment before he dragged it around, spreading his fingers across her throat.
“Just here,” he whispered, “I can feel your pulse jumping beneath your skin, and the way your breath catches in your throat.
Hanna said nothing, watching his green eyes heat up, his tongue snaking out to moisten his lips.
He moved his hand to her chest, to the dip between her breasts, his fingers strong against her damp skin. “And here, I can feel how fast your heart is beating.” He splayed his fingers out, moving his palm until it brushed across her nipple, his rough skin causing her sensitive peak to harden. She gasped as a pleasurable sensation shot straight between her legs.
He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the pleasure becoming a steady pulse between her thighs. She looked at him beneath half-closed lids, his face dark as it revealed an expression of raw emotion.
“Please kiss me.” She arched her body against him, her lips trembling as he leaned down to capture them. His soft breath fanned against her face, warming and exciting her. He took his time, his kiss slow and soft, making her want so much more. He dragged his lips from hers, snaking a trail down her neck.
“Richard…” She closed her eyes and felt the sensation of his lips sucking at her skin. It made her nipples pebble, the heat between her thighs becoming damp and needy.
He tugged at her camisole, pulling it from her body, and pushing her shorts down until she was a naked, quivering mess.
“You’re so beautiful.” His stare was heated, and she felt her body reflect the warmth of it. “Every single inch of you is perfect.” He reached out to touch her neck with the pad of his finger, drawing a line from it to her breasts, teasing her nipple before trailing down to her stomach. She felt herself flinch with embarrassment as he traced the faded silver lines of her stretch marks
“They’re really ugly.” Hanna reached out to take his hand, trying to move it from her stomach.
“They’re not ugly, they’re amazing.” Richard shook his head, leaning down to kiss them with an open mouth. “They’re a reminder of what we made, of what you carried. They’re you.” He followed them with his lips, leading to the base of her hips, his breath hot as he stared at her body. His hands were soft yet firm on her thighs as he gently urged them apart. She could feel him blow against her fevered center, his lips worshipping her body, as his words did her soul. He pushed his tongue inside, steadying her flailing thighs with his strong hands. She moaned loudly, bucking against him, hands curling into his coarse hair as he dragged her to a peak.
Hanna closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the sensation, her body tensing beneath his touch. She could hear herself gasping as he increased the pressure, pushing her to the edge, her hands gripping the sheets as he tipped her over, her insides clenching with pleasure as she moaned his name over and again. She arched her back, her orgasm suffusing her body until she was only half conscious of reality.
She was vaguely aware of him shedding his clothes as she came back down from her high. He drew himself up, his body heavy on hers. His hardness dug into her hip, its heavy weight as reassuring as its rigidity. She reached down and curled her hands around him, running her thumb around the tip, spreading the moisture beading there.
“Do I need a condom?” His voice was urgent, and she felt him pump against her hand. She squeezed tighter, drawing a moan from his lips.
“I’m covered.”