Page 59 of Burn Protocol

“Yes, you did,” I answer. “Let’s get you inside.”

“Mhm-mm.” Her murmur is no longer one of defiance.

She rubs a hand over her face before opening her door, and I follow her swiftly. The walk up to her apartment is silent, but pleasant. Tranquil almost. I am almost sorry it ends when we arrive at her front door. Elena turns the key and pushes the door open, stepping aside so that I can enter first. I hesitate for a moment, knowing that I have to work on the interview, but she presses her hand to the small of my back and guides me inside softly. I yield, nearly buckling at her touch.

Inside, I take off my shoes and step into her living room. Elena’s eyes gleam as she watches me, a playful smile around her lips. Before I can ask her what’s on her mind, she kicks her own shoes off and walks past me.

“Tea?” she asks, somehow energized again.

“Let me,” I protest but she shakes her head.

“Sit down, please. I’ll make us a pot.”

The tone in her voice leaves no room for objection, so I sink down in the cushions. As I pull my legs under me, my mind drifts back to a few nights ago when Elena had ravished me in this exact same spot. I shudder and feel myself getting wet at the thought alone. She walks in with the tea just as I bite my lip, and her eyes get caught on my mouth. She blinks once and then gives me such a radiant smile that my heart leaps into my throat. With two long strides she is in front of me, the teapot and glasses quickly discarded on the table, and she pulls me up by my wrist.

“You’re here,” she sighs breathily.

I let out a soft chuckle and nod my head. As if I had not just spent three days in her apartment already. But before I can say a word, her lips are already on mine, drowning out whatever clever comeback I had ready for her.

Although Maya eagerly answers my kiss, we move slowly. My tongue glides against hers, smooth as silk, caressing softly but certain. I revel in how our mouths fit together so perfectly.

She faintly tastes of mint, mixed with something I can’t describe. Something that makes me want to taste more of her. I slide my hands along her sides, making her shiver under my touch and moan inside my mouth, before pulling her closer against me. Her fingers grab the fabric of my shirt around my chest and she clings to it for grounding. We kiss with a different kind of hunger. Not one born out of desperation or need, but one born out of the choices we both made today.

When she finally breaks the kiss, my breathing has sped up. I hold my eyes closed for another brief moment, lingering on the feeling of her in my mouth. My whole face tingles. When my eyes flutter open, she is looking at me with those bright blue eyes. Her hand comes up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and stays resting against my cheek. With her thumb she softly caresses my cheekbone and I feel myself melt into her touch. All the anxiety of the past few days starts to seep out of me. Marta, Cruz, even the fact that my injury got me benched for the week. The only thing that matters is that Maya is here, with me.

“You should rest,” she whispers so closely that I can feel her lips brush against mine.

“So should you,” I reply, smiling softly, as she hums.

I am bone tired, but having her in my arms fills me with a new kind of energy that I can’t describe. She shouldn’t even be here. She should be at home in her own bed. Yet, it feels like the only thing that makes sense right now. Her lips brush so softly against mine that, for a moment, I wonder if I dreamed it. A soft sigh falls from my lips. Maya grabs my hand and slowly leads me to the bedroom. The tea stays behind on the table, completely forgotten.

She doesn’t rush, but when the bedroom door closes behind us, she hooks her nimble fingers under the hem of my shirt, gently taking it off. Her breath hitches, as if she surprises herself, and she stares at me with those big eyes.

She slides her fingertips softly over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. It is as if she is mapping every little part of me. Every mole, every scar, every line that can be drawn between them.

Her lips part slightly as she tenderly moves her fingers over my collarbone, to rest on my shoulder for a brief moment. She bends forward to press them there, where my skin is still glowing from her touch.

When she moves her head back to look at me, my bra falls free. When the hell did she do that? She pulls it down over my arms with a coy smile, and it drops to the floor. When she presses her lips to my left nipple, I gasp, nearly unable to process what is happening. The kiss is soft and tender, just like the others. But even though the contact is feather-light, I arch my back into her— wanting to feel every touch she is willing to give me. She rewards me by moving her palm over my right nipple and then taking it between her fingers. When she rolls it, a bolt of electricity shoots right through me, soaking me completely.

“Maya…” I plead, wanting even more of her. Needing more of her.

She just smiles as her hand dips lower down my belly. Slowly dragging it to the button of my jeans. She opens it with a flick of her hand, while her tongue runs over my nipple again. I feel her pulling the zipper down and I have to bite the inside of my cheek so that I won’t buck my hips into her. Her mouth trails down slowly as she lowers my jeans and underwear, and I step out of them when she looks up at me from the floor. Fuck, she is so perfect.

She smiles softly as if she heard my thought and trails kisses back up until she reaches my lips. Then she turns us and backs me up until I hit the edge of the bed. She lowers me down with such gentle care, that I am sure now that I am dreaming. But when she sinks to her own knees in front of me and kisses the inside of my thigh, every fiber in my body feels alert and awake.

“So responsive,” she murmurs, her breath ghosting over my wet core.

She slowly drags a finger over my heat and I can feel myself drip all over it. I let out a moan and her eyes instantly meet mine.

“Tell me what you need, El…”

Her voice is raspy and low now, sending shivers down my spine.

“You… I need you, Maya.”

She is on me before I can finish speaking her name. Her mouth searching for mine, her nails softly scratching my sides. I want to wrap my hands around her, but she chuckles and slides down again before I can—her mouth leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses.

When she pushes against the inside of my leg, my thighs fall open for her. I watch as her pupils dilate, but can’t keep my eyes focused when she presses her mouth against me. Suddenly I feel her everywhere. Her lips are around my clit, which she circles slowly with her tongue, while she fills me with two fingers at the same time. My head falls back as I let out a loud moan.