His chest rose under my cheek.
Fell.
Rose again.
A low, slurred sound rumbled out of him."Tora. . ."
Yet. . .his eyes were still closed.
I went still.
Are you dreaming?
He looked too peaceful to be awake. His lashes were heavy and dark against his skin. The hard line that lived between his brows softened. His mouth was relaxed.
"Tora, don’t. . ."he murmured, deeper this time.“I’m. . .sorry. . .”
A shiver climbed my spine.
Then his lashes lifted.
Slow.
Unhurried.
Sleep-heavy.
Next, those eyes found mine. He breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Tora. . .” He pulled me closer and then slid his muscular thigh up between mine until the heat of his hardening cock pressed firm against my belly.
He studied me. “You’re up.”
“I am.” I smiled against his chest. "Were you dreaming about me?"
He stared at me. The softness in his face did not crack, but the peace underneath did.
Silent seconds stretched.
My smile started to fade.
Why was he looking at me like this? Why wouldn't he answer? The silence kept extending and his eyes kept holding mine and my chest started to tighten.
"Kenji?"
He raised his hand to my face and stroked my lower lip slowly. "Yes. I was dreaming of you."
"What did you dream about?"
His thumb kept tracing my lip. His eyes searched mine like he was deciding whether to let me in to wherever he had just been.Then he spoke, and his voice was lower than usual. "There were white chrysanthemums around you."
"Flowers?"
"Endless." His thumb stilled against my mouth. "They stretched farther than I could see."
I saw it the way he must have seen it—a sea of white blossoms moving in the wind.
"And you were naked and on your knees. This dark lake was right in front of you.”
