Page 54 of Sweet Heart

My lips bend up, accepting all that she is offering me. It is more than just words.

“Okay,” she echoes, more to herself than to me.

Her eyes shimmer timidly once more, but when they find me, they shift. Her fingers tap against my sternum, and she hums softly. It takes us both by surprise, making us laugh at the same time. The light sound fills the room, dancing around us.

When I move to kiss her again, it is softer. Not to tether her to this moment, hoping she won’t float, but to meet her here. My lips slide over hers, and I take in the feeling of her warm and smooth mouth. Her hands come up around my shoulders in response and softly glide down my back. The touch is gentle, almost exploring, as if she is mapping every inch of me. Just as my fingertips are grazing the edge of her jaw, already imprinting it into memory.

I move to roll on top of her, wanting every part of our skin to touch. Cat smiles into the kiss, but she doesn’t break it. Our legs tangle, and my thigh slides between hers, making our bodies slot together like two connecting pieces.

My fingers trail down her side, over her ribs, their rise and their indentations, the soft dip of her waist, and the curve of her hip. The movement is slow so that I can explore this new territory. Cat’s lips quiver against mine, and her fingers curl softly into my back, but she doesn’t move away. If anything, she moves toward me. Every one of her movements matches mine. Every touch, every kiss, a response to what I offer.

My fingers slide over her hip, and I feel her hold her breath. I break our kiss and press my lips briefly against hers, reluctant to part, before raising my head to gaze at her. I can barely manage to open my eyes. They feel heavy in such a good way, but I want to see her. Need to see her.

Her eyes are glistening when she opens them, her eyelids slowly sliding up. They find mine instantly. As if, even with her eyes closed, she knew where I was that whole time. Her body is still under me. She’s still holding her breath. Her eyes flicker over my face before she inhales softly.

“You… don’t have to do this,” she rasps, her gaze moving back and forth between my eyes.

I frown slightly. Of course I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to. Is she having second thoughts? Right at that moment, she presses her hip a bit harder into my hand in response to my tightening hold on her. Well, that answers that. Kinda.

“Mm-hmm.” I grin cheekily at her. “I know.”

I press another kiss against her lips.

“Do you want me to stop?”

I don’t taunt her, don’t tease her. I just let my hand rest against her hip, my thumb stroking warm circles there, so that she can take her time to formulate an answer. She opens her mouth, closes it, and then opens it again, but no words come out. Instead, she shakes her head, minute but clear. Her eyes brim with tears she won’t allow to fall, and she desperately holds on to me. She doesn’t need to say it for me to hear it. Please don’t stop.

I brush my lips over her eyes, pressing butterfly kisses on her eyelids, and Cat lets out such a shuddering sigh that I feel it reverberate in my bones. She brings her fingers up to the base of my neck and guides me to her mouth, letting us fuse again. I take her bottom lip between my teeth and scrape it slightly before releasing it and deepening our kiss. She lets me.

There is no rush, no frantic tugging and pulling. Just this tranquil movement between our bodies. When my hand slips between Cat’s legs, she doesn’t gasp or moan. She simply opens herself up to me by bending her leg, trusting me with all of her. I let my fingers wander thoughtfully, stroking the warm skin on her thigh before I connect with her center.

She sucks in a breath and releases it right next to my ear. The flow of air is warm on my cheek and makes my skin erupt in goosebumps. God, she feels so good.

As I slide my fingers up, I watch how she moves, how her back lifts off the mattress, her eyebrows briefly knit together, and how her mouth falls open in a silent gasp. Each of them is a little whisper of encouragement, a little nod of consent.

I kiss her jawline and nip at it before gently pressing two fingers against her entrance. My eyes find hers, asking her in silence. Do you trust me with this? Her lips curve slightly, and she lets out such an airy laugh that I am not sure whether it is from surprise or nerves. So I wait. I look at her and wait.

Cat’s eyes warm at the realization, and her throat bobs as she swallows. Her eyes scan my face before she opens her mouth and inhales shakily.

“Maria, por favor…”

The longing in her eyes for our confluence is everything. I feel a wave of belonging come over me when I enter her. And when her fingers dig into my shoulders, it feels like we merge effortlessly. We enter a dance where she follows my lead and I lead by following her. The rhythm slowly climbs, just like Cat’s heartbeat.

She isn’t loud, this isn’t for show, but every now and then, a soft gasp or a low exhale escapes her lips. Her body holds on to mine, and her hips push for friction between us. We are speaking a language that goes beyond words, and yet we are both fluent.

When her voice pitches up on an unexpected moan and her legs tremble against my frame, I pull her closer into my arms. I don’t stop the rhythm, don’t break the movement, but I will hold her through each and every wave.

When Cat comes undone, it is with her fingers tangled in my hair, her teeth pressed into my shoulder, and tears on her cheeks.

I have never felt so complete.

Chapter 21

Cat

Carmen is half-bent over the computer at the nurse’s station when I start my rounds. Her eyes instantly flick to mine, squinting as she drops her gaze over my body. My jaw ticks when they widen a little, and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. I try to turn away from her, stepping toward a patient, but her fingers already wrap around my elbow.

“Doctor Durand, a word, please?”