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Reaching behind me, I wrap an arm behind her neck, trying to pull her closer against me, but it’s not enough. To hell with small steps. I need us to wrap up in each other so fully that we disappear inside one another.
“Lu…” I husk out, my need for her making my breathing labored. “Please come closer, baby, I need you.”
Luna abruptly stands, the water sloshing around her as she moves and steps over me and I slide back so she can take the place in front of me. The tub is deep but not very wide, and so her long legs bend and scrunch up as she faces me. I take hold of her calves and pull her even closer, wrapping her legs around me and pull her into my arms, wrapping her up completely as hers go around my neck.
“K,” is all she says against my bare shoulder and I pull away only enough to take her face in my hands. I search her eyes, looking for any sign that taking the next step is okay; that she feels safe letting me in. When her eyes close halfway, I bring my lips to hers, kissing her for the first time in weeks. Her lips are moist from the steam of the tub and as soft as ever.
The kiss deepens, the brush of our lips getting more languid with each pass. Our heads tilt in different directions as if trying to taste each other in all possible ways.
When the need for air makes itself unavoidable, we pull back, resting our foreheads together as we catch our breath. My eyes flicker open to catch a glimpse of the light purple moon I etched into her skin almost a year ago. Leaning in, I press my lips to it as her hands find my hair. She lets out a low sigh as I breathe against her.
“You’ve been taking care of me all this time, my girl,” I lament. “I want to take care of you now.”
* * *
Luna
“Wh–”I breathe out. “What do you mean?” I ask, searching his green eyes for any sign that this isn’t real; that it’s too good to be true, but they’re as clear as ever… Without the angry cloud or drunken haze, they remind me of the color of sea glass. Like the eyes I remember.
“I mean…” he looks down at the water between us for a moment, presumably searching for the right words before looking back up. “I mean, whatever will make you feel whole right now, I want to do it. Whatever will make you feel loved. Safe.”
I let out a shuddery sigh as he touches his forehead to mine, and I try to keep the burning moisture in my eyes from falling.
“K…” I whisper, “is it really you? Please tell me you’re coming back. That’s what would make me feel safe. It would make me happy.” A maverick tear spills from the corner of my eye without my permission and Kaleb must sense it because he pulls away just enough to look at me. When he sees the tear, he brushes it away with his thumb and then leans in to kiss the track it left, his lips lingering on my cheek.
“I’m sure as hell trying, baby,” he assures me. “I’m not all the way there, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be, but I can promise you that I’m no longer the guy who won’t try.”
I let out a heavy breath, feeling it expel so much pain and worry. So many scary and sad feelings get pushed out and another tear leaks out, running down my cheek as if to make sure they leave.
“Baby that’s all I need,” I tell him, giving him a small smile as I rest my hands on his bare shoulders.
His eyes close briefly as if the same relief just came over him too, but when he opens them, there’s a yearning shining bright in them. “But I need to do something. I want to give to you.”
Of course, when he says this he shifts us, and I notice his hard-as-steel erection brushing against my sex.
“Hey,” he murmurs, getting my attention when I suck in a breath. “I don’t mean that. I’m not saying and doing all this to get laid,” he says and shakes his head gently.
“I know,” I murmur down at him as I sweep a wet strand of his hair away from his face. “But um… for the record?” I raise an eyebrow at him.
“I want to,” he nods adamantly at me, and it makes me giggle. “But really,” he straightens his face and reaches down to scoop up some bath water and let it stream down my back to keep me warm. “I’d be happy to just hold you the rest of the day and into the night, or help you draw something, watch a movie – anything you want. I just… want to be all about you right now.”
While it’s my first instinct to circle back to my original request, I can tell how much he wants this; that it would make him feel good to do it.
“Okay,” I finally agree with a hesitant smile. “All of it?” I ask, raising my eyebrows hopefully.
“Of course,” he nods, before closing his eyes and leaning in to place another kiss on my lips, and it feels like heaven after so long with barely any affection between us.
“Water’s getting cold,” I whisper against his lips and he nods, reaching around me to pull the drain plug.
I stand as the water gurgles down the drain, its level lowering as it goes. When I’m safely out on the bath mat, I turn and let Kaleb lean on me as he steps out. Pulling the towel I brought him off the chair back, he wraps it around me and the gesture is so tender, it warms me all over and I glance up into those greens again. It’s there. The love is surely there.
“Kiss me again,” I request up at him, and as if he was hoping that would be my next request, he eagerly cradles my face and presses his lips to mine again. This time, I can’t help a moan as it takes my breath away, along with the feel of his hard length brushing between us. It awakens a hunger in me, and all of a sudden, kissing isn’t enough. Wanting to touch more of him, I skim my hands up his torso, and taking hold of the towel, he pulls me closer.
“Lu, baby…” he husks out between brushes of our lips. “I’m serious, we don’t–”
“I need you, Kaleb,” I cut him off breathlessly, my mind made up. It’s been too long, and I don’t think in this instance that there is such a thing as connecting too much.
The towel drops and I’m up on my toes, my arms looping around his neck, and his strong arms pulled tightly around me. Kaleb pushes his tongue into my mouth, immersing me in his kiss and making me moan into his mouth again.
