AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Skylar relaxed at the news, slumping against the elevator wall. Relief etched lines on his face, emphasizing the tiredness that shadowed his eyes. It was a sight that tugged at my heartstrings. We were all worn thin, stretched to our limits.
I moved closer to him, gently nudging his shoulder with my own. "We did all we could," I said quietly.
"I know," Skylar murmured. He glanced at me, his gaze holding a hint of tenderness. "You always do your best when it matters. It's one of the things I love most about you."
My breath hitched in my throat. Those words, spoken so casually, meant the world to me. Skylar had always been a man of few meaningful words. His emotions were predominantly expressed through actions--really, through chaos--not verbal affirmations. But when he chose to reveal himself, it held such a profound weight.
I studied his face, the sharp angles softened by fatigue, the usual spark in his eyes noticeably dim. I leaned in, my lips brushing against his in a soft, lingering touch. His hand reached up to bury itself in my hair, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss.
His taste was intoxicating– a heady mixture of adrenaline and fear and relief that was uniquely Skylar. He pulled back just enough to look at me, his eyes reflecting the same tumult of emotions I could feel thrumming through my own veins.
“I didn’t even get a chance to check you out,” I said. “You okay? Any injuries?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I think I was the one who got out with the least harm. Although…I don’t mind you checking me out.”
I let out a hollow laugh, but I didn’t respond.
Right now, his words felt all wrong.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep," I said. "I'm too worried."
"I can think of other things we can do in bed," he said, calling the elevator.
I chuckled, the sound swallowed by his mouth as he pressed against me again. There was an urgency to his movements, a desperation that mirrored my own. He tugged me inside the elevator, his hands exploring my body as if it was something he couldn't get enough of. As if he was trying to imprint every inch of me into his memory.
He wasn’t just angry.
He was scared too.
The doors closed on us, and we were alone, giving me room to explore what that meant–how he would respond when he was afraid, how much he needed me.His touch was intoxicating, each caress leaving behind a trail of fire that stoked my desire. It was a very Skylar thing–how he always managed to find humor, pleasure, life during the times we felt most afraid. My hand slipped under his shirt, fingers trailing down his muscled back. The tension in his body eased under my touch.
"Skylar," I whispered into the hollow of his neck as he pressed me against the cold metal of the elevator wall.
"Zane," he echoed back, the way he said my name sending a shiver down my spine.
His lips brushed against my earlobe, sending a bolt of desire straight to my core. "I need you," he confessed, and the raw intensity of his words made my stomach knot.
"I'm here," I murmured, tightening my arms around him. I could feel the erratic drumming of his heart against my chest, as fevered as my own. Our breaths mingled in the enclosed space–hot, frantic gusts that spoke of our shared need.
The elevator ground to a halt at our floor, but neither of us moved away from each other. Skylar reached out blindly and hit the button to close the doors again. His hands were back on me in an instant, gripping my hips hard enough to bruise.
There was no finesse in our movements; we were too desperate for that. We stumbled from the elevator into the hallway, lips locked together and hands fumbling with clothing. By the time we reached our doorstep, we were both half-undressed and breathing hard, bodies pressed together in a tangle of relentless desire.
Skylar turned the knob and pushed open the door, guiding us into the relative darkness of the apartment without breaking our heated kiss. We staggered inside, and he kicked the door shut behind us. His hands found their way back to my body, tugging at my shirt until he finally managed to pull it over my head. His own shirt followed shortly after, landing in a neglected heap on the floor.
“Zane….” His voice was low and husky in my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “I need…” His voice trailed off into a groan as I ground back into him, buckling his knees. His hands were tight on my hips, nails digging into the fabric of my pants as he held me flush against him.
"I know," I murmured, my fingers seeking the fastening of his jeans, freeing him from the rough material. His breath hitched as I stroked him through his boxer briefs. "You need this...and so do I."
In a swift motion, he turned us around and pushed me onto the couch, making quick work of his own pants before crawling over me, the hard planes of his body flush against mine. I wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer as my free hand roamed across his bare skin that shivered under my touch.
His head dipped down to my neck, teeth nipping at the sensitive skin and eliciting a sharp inhale from me. "Skylar," I gasped out, fingers digging into his shoulders. His body rocked against mine, the friction driving us both to the edge of sanity.
His mouth found mine again, swallowing the moan that ripped from my throat. My hands tangled in his hair, tugging him closer as we lost ourselves in each other. The world outside our apartment disappeared; there were no knives or De Luca, no rivers of blood or impending danger.
Only us.
His fingers slipped inside my boxers, wrapping around me and stroking me in time with our rocking rhythm. I broke off the kiss, head falling back against the couch as he worked me over.
